In the latest development to the preparations of the grand consecration ceremony of Ram Temple, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham Shri Vijayendra Saraswati has left from Hyderabad for Ayodhya. According to sources, the pontiff of Hyderabad mutt boarded the flight from Hyderabad at 08:15 am today towards Ayodhya. He will attend the consecration ceremony to perform the final poornahuti rituals of the Yagna Shala for the Ayodhya temple inauguration event.
All 4 Shankaracharyas Earlier Refused To Attend Ceremony
The news of Shri Vijayendra Saraswati's departure to Ayodhya comes days after a statement made by the religious heads of the Hindu community that they will abstain to attend the consecration ceremony as the event is being held against the shastras as the construction is incomplete. Recently, the pontiff of Puri's Govardhan Mutt's decision to abstain from the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22 was followed by the announcement from Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the 46th Shankaracharya of Uttarakhand's Jyotir Mutt, that none of the four Shankaracharya will attend the event.
Violation of Shastras & Temple Construction
Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati emphasized that their decision came after seeing the perceived violation of sacred Hindu scriptures, the 'shastras.' He pointed to the incomplete status of the temple construction as a crucial factor leading to the Shankaracharya's decision to abstain from the ceremony.
In a video shared on X handle (formerly Twitter), Avimukteshwaranand clarified that their choice is not 'anti-Modi.' Instead, it is rooted in the duty of shankaracharyas to uphold the rituals of the shastras. The decision reflects a commitment to shastra-vidhi, the prescribed rituals, rather than being perceived as an opposition to any political figure.
Ayodhya Readies For Mega Event
Meanwhile, with nearly 24 hours to the grand event on January 22, the Ram Nagari had a festival look about it on Saturday, with the streets, shops and buildings all lit up in myriad hues. The city is also bedecked with petals in vibrant colours ahead of the grand ceremony.
A long line of celebrities and top dignitaries have already started streaming into the temple town ahead of January 22. The state government, meanwhile, has made elaborate security deployments and arrangements for the grand temple opening. While CCTVs have been installed across the city, drones and devices enabled with night vision are being used to step up surveillance ahead of the mega event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony, which will be officiated by a complement of priests chosen from across the country. A team of priests is to be led by Lakshami Kant Dixit.
