Ayodhya (UP), Jan 20 (PTI) “The ultimate goal of my life is finally being fulfilled.” Ninety-year-old seer Yugpurush Parmanand Giri Maharaj displays a palpable sense of relief and composure as he talks about his long association with the Ram temple movement.
He saw the ‘shila pujan’ in 1989, the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 and the historic Supreme Court judgement on the temple-mosque dispute that paved the way for the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
For him, the temple consecration ceremony on January 22 is the perfect culmination of a struggle of a lifetime.
“How can I describe my feeling in words?” the seer from Uttarakhand’s Haridwar told PTI. “I was associated with the Ram Temple movement from day one, from holding meetings pertaining to the Shila Pujan to the present day.” The “Pran Pratishtha” of the temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh will be held on January 22, and thousands of people, including seers and noted personalities, are expected to attend it.
Giri, who was actively involved in the Ram temple movement, is also a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust in charge of the temple’s construction and management.
“The ultimate goal of my life is being fulfilled today. Today I am 90-year-old and when I had embraced ‘vairaagya’ (renunciation), I was around 20-year-old,” he said.
The seer said Lord Ram’s residing area is finally getting transformed from a ‘taat’ (makeshift tent) to ‘thaat’ (luxurious place), adding, “The devotees, organisations and politicians have played a role in this, and each of them have their own importance.” The nonagenarian also believes that there would have been several obstacles in this accomplishment without the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Yogi Adityanath in the state.
“If significant support of the BJP was not received, then a number of difficulties would have cropped up. If at this point of time, if there was no (Narendra) Modi government at the Centre and Yogi (Adityanath) in the state, there would have been difficulties in doing a number of works.” “Now the municipal corporation and the rest of the people are extending support (for the construction of the temple). Owing to the triple-engine government (in Uttar Pradesh), the speed of the government’s work has increased,” he said.
The Haridwar-based seer also said that at one time, different sects of saints did not sit at one place. “But Lord Ram created a situation that all of us started setting together. And it is the life of God which is making us associate with everyone,” he said.
“Ayodhya is transforming at a rapid pace. The roads are being repaired and beautification is being done,” he added.
Giving a piece of advice to devotees of Lord Ram vis-a-vis the Ram temple consecration ceremony, he said, “This is an important subject for the Hindus across the world. For any justice-loving society irrespective of religion, this (upcoming consecration) marks the victory of justice and the defeat of the oppressors. So, it is a matter of pride for all.” The first phase of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is nearing completion and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol on January 22.
The Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict in 2019, settling the temple-mosque dispute that dated back more than a century. The court backed the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for building a mosque. PTI NAV RPA RPA
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