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Ayodhya : In a significant development, former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been extended an invitation to attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Dhoni, a pride of Jharkhand, received the invite from the co-province secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Dhananjay Singh, and BJP leader Karmaveer Singh at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium in Ranchi.
Dhoni joins the esteemed list of cricketers invited to the highly-anticipated event, with Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar also gracing the guest list for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.
The invitation to Dhoni places him among the 16 distinguished individuals from Jharkhand who have been honored to attend the consecration ceremony. Notable invitees include senior BJP leader and Padma Bhusan Karia Munda, Padma Shri Mukund Nayak, Padma Shri archer Deepika Kumari, and AJSU party chief Sudesh Mahto, among others.
The Ram Temple consecration ceremony, scheduled for January 22, will be preceded by seven days of elaborate Vedic rituals adhering to Hindu traditions. The idol of Lord Ram is slated to be placed in its sacred position at the ‘Garbh Griha’ on January 18, with the auspicious ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony taking place at 12:20 pm on January 22. The muhurat, or auspicious timing, was determined by Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid of Varanasi, according to Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra.
The grand event will witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest, with thousands of attendees, including celebrities, saints, and politicians, set to participate in this historic occasion. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony holds immense significance as it marks the formal consecration of the idol of Lord Ram in the temple.
