“Era of Lord Ram has begun in the world,” Sarat Singh Bhandari said as he unveiled a a 25-foot-tall mural of Ram and Sita in Mahottari on the occasion of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Nepal Minister Sarat Singh Bhandari Monday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his role in “uniting and rejuvenating” Sanatan Hindus by building the Ram temple in Ayodhya– the birthplace of Lord Ram.

“Era of Lord Ram has begun in the world,” Bhandari said as he unveiled a a 25-foot-tall mural of Ram and Sita in Mahottari on the occasion of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya.

‘Era of Lord Ram’

The Nepalese Union Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, also thanked India’s PM Narendra Modi for bringing all ‘Sanatan Hindus’ at one place and giving them a reason to celebrate. Bhandari hailed Modi’s initiative of reinstating Lord Ram in his native Ayodhya, terming it as an issue of massive significance.

“I want to thank especially Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose initiative brought people scattered across the world to one place for Shree Ram which works as force. This indeed is an issue of great significance for us,” the Nepal minister told news agency ANI.

“The responsibility to protect the Sanatans, and culture which now lands on our shoulders, I feel that we are now entering a new era and it has started from today and we are entering the Yug of Shree Ram and reinstating it. We are taking forward all the virtues of Lord Ram, I again thank for this chance to rejuvenate and celebrate on behalf of all the Nepali,” Minister Bhandari said.

Hailing the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ as an auspicious day for Sanatan Dharma, Minister Bhandari has the day has ushered in a new era across the world. “Today a new era has ushered all across the world. Today is an auspicious day for all the Sanatan Hindus and the whole world is echoing with chants of Ram.”

Nepal is ‘sasural’ of Lord Ram

He noted that Lord Ram’s ‘sasural’ (in-laws house) is in Nepal’s Janakpur which the makes extra special for the country.

“Maryada Purushottam Ram’s Sasural is here in Nepal, Janakpur in particular, the Pran pratistha which is being held in Ayodhya, we can see the people across the world celebrating and rejuvenating it and are considering themselves fortunate. It is an auspicious day and we are marking it with fanfare and gaiety,” he said.

Bhandari also stated that the marriage of Ram and Sita has been a milestone to establish the concept of Roti-Beti in between India and Nepal.

“The relation that exists in between the two nations, the biggest of all- the relation of ‘Roti-beti’ has started from here when Lord Ram and Mata Sita got married which formalized the relation between the two nations and spread to the ground level amongst all the people. This is not just a religious and diplomatic relation, (Nepal and India) we have relation in between families’, relatives and brotherhood,” said the minister.

‘Sanatan connects India, Nepal’

He said the biggest connection between India and Nepal is the Sanatan Dharma.”We are celebrating here and we are very happy, we are celebrating it with pump,” Bhandari said on the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony.

“This place, Matihani is also associated with Ramayana. When Ram and Sita had got married in Janakpur, there’s a tradition of Matkor in Mithilanchal, soil from Laxmi Sagar Pond was taken from here to make the Yaga. That’s why we also are linked with it and then the locals here and the local government decided to celebrate with gaiety and fervor and make a mural of Ram and Sita. The ply mural which has been prepared within 15 days and used 20 pieces of ply and it has a height of 25 feet,” Hari Prasad Mandal, Mayor of Matihani Municipality in Mahottari district told ANI.

The Janakpurdham, birthplace of Janaki or Sita, daughter of King Janak, got married to Lord Ram after breaking the divine bow of Shiva at a tournament organized by King Janak.

Dhanushadham, near Janakpurdham, possesses a fossilized fragment of that broken bow. Lord Ram had broken Shiva’s divine bow into three pieces, a condition for winning Sita’s hand in marriage.

Ram Mandir ‘Pran Pratishtha’

The Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir was held earlier today amidst much fanfare and anticipation as the Ram Lalla idol was unveiled in the presence of PM Modi who led the rituals at the consecration ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum of the grand temple.

The magnificent Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir is constructed in traditional Nagara style and measures 380 feet (east-west) in length,  250 feet in width, and 161 feet in height. The grand temple is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors.

The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods, and goddesses. The Ram Lalla idol, which depicts Lord Ram as a 5-year-old child, is placed in the main sanctum sanctorum located on the ground floor of the temple.

The main entrance to the Mandir is situated on the eastern side, which can be approached by ascending 32 stairs through the Singh Dwar. There are a total of five Mandaps (Halls) in the Mandir – Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prathana Mandap and Kirtan Mandap.

Near the Mandir is a historic Well (Sita koop), dating back to the ancient era. In the southwestern part of the Mandir complex, at Kuber Tila, the ancient Mandir of Bhagwan Shiv has been restored, along with the installation of a statue of Jatayu.

(With ANI inputs)