New Delhi: Water and earth collected from the “thousands of holy rivers and shrines” across the country will form the foundation of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which will celebrate “territorial integrity of the nation”, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) said Thursday.
Soil and water have also come from Nagpur, where RSS is headquartered, said Milind Parande, central secretary general of Vishva Hindu Parishad.
“The water and earth carried to Ayodhya from thousands of holy rivers and pilgrimage centres and shrines across the country will act as its foundation, and the bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Sri Ram Temple will showcase the togetherness of the whole of Bharat,” said Parande. “It will stand to enthuse, motivate and orient the people to always uphold and celebrate uncompromising cultural nationalism, integral humanism, national unity, territorial integrity of the nation.”
Parande said the “sacred earth” and “holy waters” are being sent from all over the country “great pomp, ceremony and joy” for the bhoomi-pujan (ground-breaking) ceremony.
“The earth and water has come from Nagpur, the birthplace of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS); from Kashi, the birthplace of Sant Ravidasji; the Maharshi Valmiki Ashram at Sitamarhi, Bihar; Kachargad in Gondia District in Vidarbha (Maharashtra); Ramrekhadham of Jharkhand; Tantya Bheel’s holy land in Madhya Pradesh; Shri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) of Amritsar; Mhow, the birthplace of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar; the Jain Lal Mandir in Delhi and the Valmiki Temple in Delhi, where Mahatma Gandhi lived for 72 days — these are only a few examples,” he said.
‘VHP volunteers already in Ayodhya for ceremony’
Parande added that VHP volunteers are already on the ground in Ayodhya, making arrangements for the 5 August ceremony, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend.
“The emancipation of Ahalya by Bhagwan Ram, high esteem shown to Shabari Mata and camaraderie with Nishadraj are outstanding illustrations of social harmony,” he said. “The foundation stone of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi was laid in 1989 in the presence of many revered saints by a Scheduled Caste person, Kameshwar Chaupal, who is today a valued trustee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.”
The VHP leader also called upon the public to sit together, while maintaining social distancing, from 10.30 am on 5 August at their respective homes, offices, ashrams and temples and offer prayers.
“They (the people) should make all possible arrangements to telecast the Ayodhya programme to society. They should decorate houses, neighbourhoods, villages, markets, monasteries, Gurudwaras, Ashrams and light diyas (lamps) in the evening,” he said. “They should also pledge to donate for the temple, as much as possible, for the construction of the temple. Using all means of publicity and promotion, Ram bhaktas should ensure that this grand programme reaches more and more people of the society.”
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