Edited by Deepali Verma
The entire globe is witnessing the ongoing events and celebrations ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Amidst this, giant billboards of Lord Ram and the majestic shrine in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh have been installed in more than 10 states, thousands of miles away in the United States.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), US chapter, in collaboration with the Hindus from across the US, have displayed more than 40 billboards in 10 states and more that carries the message of the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the birthplace of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.
The billboards are placed in Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Georgia, among other states.Further, Arizona and the State of Missouri are set to take part in this visual celebration starting January 15, as per the VHP, American chapter.
“The message carried by these billboards is that Hindu Americans are elated and joyously participating in this once-in-a-lifetime event. The emotions are running as they eagerly await the auspicious day of the consecration ceremony,” Amitabh VW Mittal general secretary, Hindu Parishad of America, said to ANI.
In order to pay their respects to the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Hindu American community across the US has planned to carry out several car rallies and many more events in the run-up to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ in Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to attend the ceremonial installation of the idol of Shri Ram Lalla inside the grand temple on January 22. A host of leaders and dignitaries belonging to different walks of life have received invitations to the grand temple opening in Ayodhya.
The temple officials have informed the ceremony to be held over a span of seven days starting January 16. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has come to a decision to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22.
The Indian envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said Ramayana is a bridge stretching across geographies that educates people about the complexities of human relationships and the eternal struggle between good and evil.
An event -Ramayana across Asia and Beyond- held at the US Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, saw an address by the Indian envoy that said, “Ramayana and its shared heritage run across the Indo-Pacific. Its lessons and tales are passed down from generations and it is difficult to see exactly when one learns them. It’s almost like one was born with them. There are insights into the complexities of human relationships, governance and spirituality, dharma or duty, justice, sacrifice, loyalty, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. The Ramayana has taught us something about each of these themes, among many other things.”
“The Ramayana acts as a bridge across geographies as the stories are well known in many countries such as the Indo Pacific, from Cambodia to Indonesia, from Thailand to Laos. The epic has witnessed a number of reimagined, retold, included in the artistic, literary, and religious traditions of various societies incorporating their distinct cultural nuances,” as expressed by Ambassador Sandhu.
The growing public enthusiasm in Bharat around the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, the Mauritian government has decided to grant two hours of special break for practising Hindu public officers on January 22 to facilitate their participation in local events marking the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla in the Bharatiya temple town.
