Ayodhya Abroad: Hindu Americans to celebrate the event as 10 US states display 40 billboards of Lord Ram
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Ahead of the much-awaited grand consecration ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla in Lord Ram’s Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on January 22, the religious fervor has gripped the Hindu Americans in a big way as at least 10 states in the USA have seen around 40 billboards of the event displayed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the ceremonial installation of the idol of Shri Ram Lalla inside the sanctum sanctorum of the grand temple on January 22. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is the host of the event.
The Hindu-American community is organizing several programs to mark the event, the media reported on Saturday.
Billboards about the event have come up in Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Georgia, among some other states. Besides, Arizona and the State of Missouri will also join this visual celebration starting Monday, January 15, according to the American chapter of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Amid ongoing events and celebrations worldwide ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22, giant billboards of Lord Ram and the majestic shrine in the temple town have been displayed.
“These billboards prove that Hindu-Americans are elated and joyously participating in this once-in-a-lifetime event. Their emotions overflow as they eagerly await the auspicious day of the consecration ceremony,” Amitabh VW Mittal, General Secretary, VHP, said.
To commemorate the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, the Hindu American community has organized several car rallies and planned events in the run-up to the Pran Pratishtha event.
According to the Ayodhya temple officials, the ceremony will be held over seven days starting January 16 when Vedic rituals will begin, a week before the main ceremony on January 22.
On Wednesday, the Indian envoy to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, said the Ramayan is a bridge across geographies and teaches people about the complexities of human relationships and the eternal struggle between good and evil.
Speaking at an event at the US Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, titled Ramayana Across Asia and Beyond, he said, “Ramayan and its shared heritage exist across the Indo-Pacific. The lessons and tales from Ramayan are passed down from generation to generation, and it is hard to say exactly when one learns them. It’s as if one was born with them.
“The epic gives insights into the complexities of human relationships, governance and spirituality, dharma or duty, justice, sacrifice, loyalty, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. The Ramayan has something to teach us about each of these themes, among many other things.”
“The Ramayan is also a bridge across geographies. Stories from the epic are well known in many countries across Indo-Pacific, from Cambodia to Indonesia, from Thailand to Laos. The epic has been reimagined, retold, and included in the artistic, literary, and religious traditions of various societies incorporating their unique cultural nuances. I have personally witnessed this influence of Ramayan across boundaries,” Ambassador Sandhu added.
Meanwhile, Mauritius has announced a two-hour special break for practicing Hindu public officers on January 22 to enable them to participate in local events.
The Mauritian Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on Friday, said the Hindus could avail this special break on January 22 from 1400 hours, given the “landmark event, which symbolizes the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.”
