Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Pran pratishtha ceremony and its significance

As the date of historic inauguration of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir approaches on 22 January, where the installation of Lord Ram Lalla's idol will take place after the consecration ceremony, preparations are going on in full swing. This event will see the presence of a number of VVIPs and celebrities.

To ensure all things are going as planned, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspected the temple site on January 9. Meanwhile, to understand the significance of the event, it is crucial to delve into the pran pratishtha ceremony, which refers to a sacred Hindu ritual that brings the deity to life.
All that you need to know about pran pratishthaPran pratishtha, translates to 'establishing the life force' or bringing the 'deity to life,' and is a ritual performed to invoke a deity into an idol, transforming it into a sacred and divine entity. Once the pran pratishtha is completed, the idol turns into a deity that can accept prayers and grant blessings to worshippers.

In preparation for this ceremony, a series of rituals precede the pran pratishtha. For the Ram Mandir, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra announced a seven-day consecration ceremony starting from January 16. This includes activities, such as touching the Saryu river embankment, conducting Vishnu Puja, and Gau Dan on the first day. This will be followed by a 'shobha yatra' for the selected Ram Lalla idol, various pujas, and a 'nav grah shanti hawan' to appease all planets on the subsequent days.

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The ritualsOn the day of the pran pratishtha, the idol, previously submerged in water and grain, is brought to the temple, bathed in milk, and adorned with fragrances. Placed in the sanctum sanctorum facing eastward, the priests will sing hymns, mantras, and rituals, which is finally followed by the ceremony of opening the statue's eyes, which is believed to bring it to life permanently.

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As regarding the temple, it has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style, and features a three-storied shrine with 392 pillars, 44 doors, and five Mandaps. As Ayodhya readies itself for this momentous occasion, people will be looking forward for the pran pratishtha ceremony that will start on January 16.