In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the ‘pran prathista’ ceremony at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya, a political storm has erupted with senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily raising doubts about the prime minister’s 11-day fast leading up to the consecration.
On January 12, Prime Minister Modi commenced an 11-day ‘Anushthan’ ritual, adhering to various rituals and ‘niyams’ before the ‘pran pratishtha’ on January 22. As part of the ritual, he observed a limited fast, consuming only one meal a day from January 12, and exclusively eating fruits from January 19. The prime minister also visited numerous temples associated with Lord Ram across the country during this period.
However, Moily stirred controversy by expressing skepticism about whether PM Modi actually observed the entire 11-day fast, stating that he had consulted with doctors who claimed it was not possible. Moily asserted that if the prime minister did not genuinely fast and performed the ‘pooja’ inside the Sanctum Santorum, the sanctity of the entire place would be compromised.
The ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony, held on January 22, saw PM Modi presiding over the consecration of Ram Lalla inside the Sanctum Sanctorum amid chants of mantras and in the presence of thousands of VIP invitees.
The controversy comes amidst the opening of the new Ram temple to the general public on Tuesday, attracting over 3 lakh devotees who have visited the complex for ‘darshan’ under tight security measures. The temple’s daily ‘darshan’ timings are from 7 am to 11.30 am and 2 pm to 7 pm, with a brief closure from 1 pm to 3 pm.
