'Kripya Na Aiyein...': Why Advani, MM Joshi Have Been Requested Not To Attend Mega Ram Mandir Event

New Delhi: L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, the veteran BJP leaders who spearheaded the Ram temple movement in Ayodhya, have been ‘advised’ to skip the temple’s inauguration ceremony next month. Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Ram Temple Trust, said to the media on Monday that “Both are respected elders of the family and keeping in mind their health and age, they were advised to stay away, which they agreed to.”

Rai said that the inauguration ceremony on January 22, which will see the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being prepared for with full enthusiasm. He added that the preparations will be done by January 15 and the ‘pran pratistha’ puja will begin from January 16 and go on till January 22.

Rai gave a detailed list of the guests and said that Advani and Joshi might not be able to attend the inauguration ceremony because of their age and health issues. Advani is 96 years old and Joshi will be 90 next month.

Rai said that a team of three people has been formed to go to former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and invite him to the ceremony. He added that “Shankaracharyas of six ‘darshanas’ (ancient schools) and about 150 saints and sages will join the ceremony.”

He said that around 4,000 saints and 2,200 other guests have been invited for the ceremony. Rai added that heads of major temples like Kashi Vishwanath, Vaishno Devi and representatives of religious and constitutional institutions have also been invited.

He said that spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Mata Amritanandamayi of Kerala, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, film stars Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Arun Govil, film director Madhur Bhandarkar and prominent industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, famous painter Vasudev Kamat, ISRO Director Nilesh Desai and many other eminent personalities have been invited to the event.

He added that after the inauguration ceremony, ‘mandal puja’ will be performed from January 24 for 48 days as per ritual traditions. The temple will be opened for devotees on January 23.

Rai said that proper arrangements have been made for the guests to stay at more than three places in Ayodhya. In addition, various monasteries, temples and household families have provided 600 rooms.

Meanwhile, the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation authorities said they have started preparing for the inauguration ceremony.

Municipal Commissioner Vishal Singh said that fibre toilets will be set up for devotees and changing rooms will be arranged for women at specific places. He added that the ‘Ram Katha Kunj’ corridor will be constructed in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex which will display tableaux depicting 108 events from Lord Ram’s life.