In the heart of Ayodhya, amidst the rising surge in anticipation for the Bhavya Ram Mandir, a unique spiritual bank is garnering the attention of Ram Bhakts (devotees). The International Shri Sita Ram Naam Bank, located in the Mani Ram Ki Chhawni locality in Ram Nagri Ayodhya Dham is not a typical commercial bank. Notably, The Sita Ram Bank has around 136 branches across India.
#REPORT | A unique bank in Ayodhya !
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An account is opened in the name of 'Sita Ram' in the bank.
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In fact, Money has no value in this spiritual bank as the transactions are made in Prabhu Shri Ram’s name, transcending the material realm. This unique spiritual bank managed by ardent Ram Bhakts extend conditional loan to only Ram Bhakts which has to be returned in exactly 8 months 10 days.
The devotees have to follow certain conditions and cross a certain threshold to open an account in this bank which maintains a ledger on counts of Ram Naam.
As per the bank’s process, it gives a booklet and pen (preferably Red colour which signifies love/devotion) as loan to people. The booklet is of 30 pages, containing 108 cells in which the devotees have to write ‘Ram Naam’ every day. The booklets have to be deposited in 8 months and 10 days during which the devotees have to write Shri Ram’s name 1.25 lakh times.
This booklet is deposited in the individual’s account whose credits get reflected accordingly. Apart from Hindi, the devotees can write the name of Lord Ram in Urdu, English, Bengali and other languages as well. A Ram Devotee scbriled Shri Ram’s name over 50 crore times in 15 years and was slated to deposit it in Sita Ram Naam Bank in Ayodhya which has scores of billions of Shri Ram Name inscribed in the bank.
Devotees have to follow certain conditions
After opening an account here, people need to follow some rules. The bank gives account holders red ink and a wooden pen called a kalam. Devotees can only write the name of Lord Ram between 4 am to 7 am. They have to write the name exactly 1.25 lakh times, completing this task within eight months and ten days. During this period, devotees are not allowed to eat non-vegetarian food, as well as food containing onion and garlic. However, the rules may vary as per different branches.
The chief priest of Nirmohi Akhara, Mahant Ram Das said, “Scribbling ‘Shri Sita Ram’ has always been a popular way of remembering the lord. One need not go to a temple. A businessman can do it sitting in his office, an office-goer can do it at his desk whenever he gets a break and a housewife can do it while doing her daily chores.”
Sumit Mehrotra, the manager of the Ram Ramapati Bank in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi told ETV Bharat, “My grandfather’s grandfather, Das Channu Lal ji established this bank here around 96 years ago. The name of this bank is Ram Ramapati bank and people mostly confuse it with a commercial bank. People, who do not know much about this bank believe that this bank also offers them loans, but this is a spiritual bank. Money has no value. This bank does not accept any monetary transactions. Devotees get loans for their wish fulfilment. People also achieve their goals after taking loans from here.”
He added that Lal Bahadur Shastri’s mother and family members of Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha also took “loans” from this bank.
It is important to note that as per Sanatan Dharma, Shri Ram’s name is revered as the Ultimate truth and it is a way of spiritual enlightenment. The Ram Bhakts find solace and profound spiritual enrichment in scribbling, uttering and remembering Prabhu Shri Ram’s name.
