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In anticipation of the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony for Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the Yogi Adityanath government has earmarked ₹100 crore for ‘Ramotsav,’ a series of religious events spanning temples in 826 local bodies across Uttar Pradesh and the Ram Paduka Yatra.
Commencing this month, the grand festivities will kick off during Makar Sankranti on January 14/15 and extend until the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The yatra will trace the Ram Van Gaman Path, the route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile from Ayodhya, covering the entire nation.
Temples with connections to the ‘Ramayan tradition’ will host continuous recitals of Ramcharitmanas, Ramayan, and Hanuman Chalisa.
The government’s vision is to link each district and prominent temple in the state to the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla, aiming to make the entire state embody the spirit of ‘Ram-mai.’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to preside over the consecration ceremony, with the UP government’s department of tourism and culture coordinating the event in collaboration with the paryatan and sanskritik parishad in each district.
Government-run schools will also witness a series of events, including art and essay writing competitions, fancy dress contests, and religious songs inspired by Ramayan. Workshops on crafting idols of Lord Ram are also part of the planned activities.
In Ayodhya, the state government has arranged for a captivating display of Ram Katha through projection mapping and dragon shows, alongside a water laser show at the Saryu River depicting various events from Ramayan.
The proposal for Ramotsav was presented in the Vidhan Sabha during the supplementary budget session, with the House expected to pass it on Friday during the ongoing winter session, as per the state government’s statement.
Additionally, the UP government has greenlit the upgrade of Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan to the International Ramayan and Vedic Shodh Sansthan, Ayodhya, allocating a budget of ₹5.72 crore for the project, to be executed by the department of culture.
In a unique initiative, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust overseeing the grand Ram temple’s construction in Ayodhya plans to distribute sacred rice (Akshata) offered to the deity to 500,000 temples in villages across the country ahead of the consecration ceremony on January 22. Volunteers and office-bearers of the VHP have been entrusted with distributing the sacred rice from January 1 to January 15 after Vedic rituals.
