The muhurat was decided by Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid of Varanasi, said Champat Rai.

Ram Lalla Idol Placement: Champat Rai, the General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra on Monday announced that the idol of Lord Ram will be placed at its position at the “Garbh Griha” (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple on January 18 and Pran Pratishtha will take place at 12.20 pm on January 22. The muhurat was decided by Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid of Varanasi, said Champat Rai while addressing a press conference.

“The religious rituals will begin on January 16 and will continue till January 21. On January 22, ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony will take place. The idol for which ‘Pran Pratishtha’ will be done is expected to be around 150-200kgs. On 18 January, the idol will be placed at its position in the ‘Garbh Griha’ of the temple,” said Rai adding that the formal procedures of pre-Praan Pratishtha ceremonies will start on January 16 and continue till January 21.

The Pran Prathishtha is expected to conclude by 1 pm on January 22, said Champat Rai adding that darshan will remain closed to the public on January 20 and 21.

“There are seven Adhivaasas in Pran Pratishtha ceremony and a minimum of three Adhivasas are in practice. There will be 121 Acharyas conducting the rituals. Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid will be overseeing, coordinating, anchoring, and directing all the proceedings of the ritual and the principal Acharya will be Luckshmikant Dixit of Kashi,” he added.

He further said that the Pran Pratishtha ceremony will be conducted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and other dignitaries.

Rai said that all acharyas of all schools of Bharatiya spiritualism, religion, a system of worship, tradition, Sants of more than 150 traditions, Mahamandaleshwars, Mandaleshwars, Shrimahants, Mahants, Nagas, as well as leading figures of more than 50 Adivasi, Girivasi, Tatavasi, and Dwipavasi tribal traditions will remain present to witness the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on the premises of the Temple of Nativity of Lord Ram.

“The traditions include Shaiva, Vaishnav, Shaakta, Gaanapatya, Patya, Sikh, Bauddha, Jain, Dashnaam Shankar, Ramanand, Ramanuj, Nimbarka, Madhva, Vishnu Nami, Ramsanehi, Ghisapanth, Garibdasi, Gaudiya, Kabirpanthi, Valmiki, Shankardev (Assam), Madhav Dev, ISKCON, Ramakrishna Mission, Chinmaya Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Gayatri Parivar, Anukul Chandra, Thakur Parampara, Mahima Samaj of Odisha, Akali, Nirankari, Namdhari from Punjab, Radhasoami and Swaminarayan, Varkari, Veer Shaiva, etc,” Rai said adding further that after the completion of the Pran Pratishtha in the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum), all the witnesses will have darshan respectively.

He further said it has been resolved to celebrate it with great enthusiasm all over India, not just Ayodhya.

“During the run-up to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, people from different states are continuously coming with water, soil, gold, silver, gems, clothes, jewellery, huge bells, drums, aroma/fragrance items, etc,” he added.

“The most notable among them were the Bhaars (gifts sent at the time of setting up a daughter’s house) sent from Maa Janaki’s maternal homes at Janakpur (Nepal) and Sitamarhi (Bihar) which a large number of people carried to Ayodhya and also gifts of different types of jewellery, etc., were offered by the Nanihal (maternal grandmother’s place of Shri Ram) at Raipur, Dandakaranya area,” Rai said.

(With ANI inputs)