As the date of Ram Mandir’s pran pratishtha event approaches, the nation is overwhelmed with holy energy. Devotees of Lord Ram all over the country are doing unique things to celebrate the “return of the King.” On Friday (12th January), Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that the state would be sending 5 lakh laddoos from the holy land of Baba Mahakaal to the birthplace of Ram Lalla.
The state government has intensified preparations for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol, from five lakh laddoos made in Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple to religious activities in temples across the state.
During a media interaction on Friday CM Yadav said, “Prime Minister Modi has given directions that whenever a date is given to states after January 22 to visit Ayodhya, we will follow that and send people for darshan. Around 2000 years ago, Maharaj Vikramaditya from Madhya Pradesh built the temple of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the same temple was vandalised by Babur around 500 years ago then how can Madhya Pradesh lag behind? When the temple is being constructed again, then we are going to send 5 lakh laddoos from the city of Baba Mahakal as prasad.”
According to the Mahakaleshwar Temple management, they have begun making 250 quintals of laddoos following CM Yadav’s directive.
“It will take about five days to prepare the consignment and around three to five trucks will have to be arranged to deliver the prasad to Ayodhya,” the officials told The Indian Express. The temple administration stated that a hundred people would be hired to pack the laddoo boxes.
Notably, the Madhya Pradesh CM said during his first Cabinet meeting that the state would welcome Ram devotees on their journey to Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony.
The Additional Chief Secretary (Ministry of Religious Trust and Endowment) issued a directive on Friday directing that Ram kirtans and other religious events be organised in temples across the state from January 16 to 22, 2024. “All temples in the state should have lamps lit. Every house should be awakened for the festival of lights,” the circular said.
The government has directed Ram mandals (volunteers) to organise local events in their towns and villages, and has stated that “the state’s main temples will livestream the ceremony from Ayodhya.” According to the notice, the live telecast of the said programme in Ayodhya should be done by installing TV screens in the state’s main temples. It further urged the participation of locals in the events in such temples as well as asked to ensure adequate arrangements.