NCP chief Sharad Pawar received an invitation to attend the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The NCP supremo responded to the invitation stating that he will skip the consecration event, but will come for darshan after Jan 22.
Sharad Pawar wrote a letter to General Secretary of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Champat Rai. He also took a veiled dig at the centre stating that he'll be visiting the temple after the construction work is completed.
Pawar Takes A Dig At Centre
The letter written by the NCP chief reads, "After the pran pratistha ceremony is completed on January 22, I will freely take out time and come for darshan and by then the construction work of Ram temple will also be completed."
All 4 Shankaracharyas To Skip Consecration Event
Sharad Pawar's decision to visit temple after the construction is completed, comes after a recent statement made by the religious heads of the Hindu community that 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 the decision stems from 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 shankaracharyas' 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.
The Shankaracharya highlighted a key concern, stating that the consecration (pran pratishtha) is taking place while the temple remains incomplete. He asserted that their stance is not against any individual but is a principled stand to ensure the adherence to shastra-vidhi. The video aimed to clarify that the decision is based on religious principles rather than any political bias.
