With just hours left to the grand ceremony to inaugurate the temple in Ayodhya, rituals have already started in terms of prayers. Twenty priests in Ayodhya performed Ganesh Puja on Monday, which was followed by prayers being offered to Hanumangarhi temple in the city today.
As per Hindu ritual, prayers, ceremonies or any other event for the commemoration of something significant, are performed during a fixed time window. This time window, which is often foretold by Brahmins and astrologers, is known as ‘Mahurat’.
It has been reported that the Mahurat of the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ being held at Ayodhya tomorrow is of 32 seconds. As per Hindustan Times, the priests and religious leaders informed that the Mahurat time, on Wednesday, would be between 12:44:08 PM to 12:44:40 PM.
Days and days of preparation, processions full of people, high profile leaders from BJP and RSS are all gathering just for these 32 seconds of the puja, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. HT also reported that 175 people have been invited for the event out of which 135 are priests/saints of various traditional backgrounds.
The event would also comprise of a dais which will consist of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtraya Swayam Sewak Sangh Chief, Mohan Bhagwat, Ram Mandir Trust Chief Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath.
These people would be gathering at the site where the ‘silver’ foundation stone of Ram Mandir is to be laid by the Prime Minister. It is imperative to note that this is the very site which has had about 17 Coronavirus cases since last week, which includes two priests who have been performing daily rituals at the site.
“It is not only historic but also an emotional moment as after 500 years the Ram temple work will start”, quoted Yogi Adityanath, who reportedly has been working relentlessly for the preparation of the Puja.
The Puja will be taking place amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has infected over 1.86 million people in the country and is close to touching 1 lakh cases in Uttar Pradesh.
Festivities have spread across the whole town of Ayodhya with people celebrating the occasion by illuminating the whole district which lies in the city of Faizabad, which has reported more than 550 cases of COVID-19 and has recorded 6 deaths so far.
