Ram temple consecration countdown: Modi to fast as 11-day special ritual begins

With 11 days remaining, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Shree Kalaram temple located along the banks of Godavari in the Panchvati area of Nashik, and began a special ritual which will see him observe strict rules, including fasting.

Mumbai: Ahead of the pran-pratishtha ceremony of the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday commenced a 11-day special strict ritual and offered prayers  the historic Shree Kalaram temple along the banks of Godavari in Nashik, the pilgrimage town of Maharashtra. 

Every 12 years, the Kumbh Mela is held in the twin holy places of Ramkund-Panchwati and Trimbakeshwar - and the visit of Modi is significant. 

The consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the grand temple under construction in Ayodhya is scheduled on January 22. 

With 11 days remaining, Modi visited the Shree Kalaram temple located along the banks of Godavari in the Panchvati area of Nashik. 

The Prime Minister sought the blessings of people, sages and Gods for the undertaking and expressed happiness that he will initiate the ritual from Nashik Dham-Panchavati where Lord Ram spent significant time. 

In the banks of Godavari, he performed jal-poojan and maha-aarti and then went to the Shree Kalaram temple where he offered prayers to Lord Ram, Mata Sita and Laxman and Lord Hanuman. 

Modi said that the installation of the idol of Lord Ram at his birthplace in Ayodhya  is a huge responsibility. 

"As it is also said in our scriptures, we have to awaken divine consciousness in ourselves for the yagya and worship of God. For this, fasts and strict rules have been prescribed in the scriptures, which have to be followed before consecration. Therefore, according to the guidance I have received from some pious souls and great men of the spiritual journey and according to the ‘yama-miyama’ suggested by them, I am starting a special ritual of 11 days from today,” Modi said in his special message.

“I am overwhelmed with emotions! For the first time in my life, I am going through such feelings, I am experiencing a different feeling of devotion. This emotional journey of my inner self is not an opportunity for expression but for experience. Even though I want to, I am not able to put into words its depth, breadth and intensity. You can also understand my situation very well,” he said.

At the temple complex, the Prime Minister heard the epic narrative of the Ramayana, specifically the ‘Yudh Kanda’ segment, which depicts Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya. This was presented in Marathi and the PM listened to the Hindi version through AI translation.

In the temple precincts, Modi took  ‘darshan’, performed an ‘aarti’ and was honoured with a shawl and later presented with a photo-frame of the temple idols, a replica of the temple and a plaque. Later, Modi sat with some priests and bhajan singers and took part in the singing of holy hymns and played cymbals.

Modi also mopped the floor of the Kalaram temple - and later exhorted people to undertake ‘swachhata abhiyan’ (cleanliness drive) across all temples in India preceding the inauguration of the Ram temple. “I urge everyone that on the occasion of ‘pran pratishtha’ in the Ram Temple, a cleanliness campaign should be carried out in all temples and shrines of the country…Today I have the privilege of visiting Kalaram temple and cleaning the temple premises,” he said.

The name Panchavati means the land of five banyan trees. The legend is that Lord Ram set up his hut here as the presence of five banyan trees made this region auspicious. 

It was also from Panchvati that Lanka’s ruler Ravan, the demon-king,  had abducted Sita Mata after Laxman cut off Shurpanakha’s nose and ears.

The day also coincided with the birth anniversaries of  of Swami Vivekananda, who spread the message of Vedanta and Yoga to the world  and Mata Jijabai, the mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who laid the foundation of Hindavi-swaraj or self-rule of Hindu people.