Amid debate over Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has urged for unity, faith, and a celebration that transcends political divides.
In a recent interaction with ANI, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar addressed various concerns surrounding the pran pratishtha ceremony, including questions about its timing and alleged political motivations.
He emphasised that as long as the Garbhagriha, the inner sanctum sanctorum, is complete, the consecration can indeed proceed.
He dismissed concerns surrounding the chosen Muhurta (auspicious time) for the ceremony, stating that no Muhurta is ever completely flawless, and this particular one is suitable and auspicious.
“So there is nothing wrong with it. As long as the Garbhagriha (sanctum-sanctorum) is complete and is there now, the temple can be consecrated, and Pran Pratistha can be done. I would like to say that if you take any Muhurta, there will be some flaws in it. No, Mohurta is 100 pc perfect. So in this sense, I find this muhurta is not bad. It’s good. It’s good Mohurta, when it’s happening, and it’s happening in the right way by the right person,” said the spiritual guru.
He acknowledged the existence of a controversy, recognising that some seek to thrive on it, but advised not to give it further attention.
One of the key arguments against the current timing for the consecration is the perceived incompleteness of the temple structure. Sri Sri countered this by citing historical examples of deities being worshipped before the temples surrounding them were fully built.
“A work like this, a great moment like this, you think, it will go without some controversy? There will be some controversy over that. And some people thrive on controversy. They like it. So that’s not worth giving any more attention to. Of course, some people say it’s an incomplete temple. I would say that do pran pratishtha. I asked them a question. Look, when Sri Ram did pran pratishtha of Shiva. He didn’t first build a temple and then do the pran pratishtha. He first did the pran pratishtha. Then the temple came around the Shivalinga,” said spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
He mentioned the consecration of Shiva Linga by Lord Rama in Rameshwaram and the case of Kedarnath and Somnath, highlighting that even former President Dr Rajendra Prasad performed a consecration at Somnath before its complete construction.
Sri Sri clarified that Pran Pratistha is not merely an inauguration but a deeply religious ritual where the Prime Minister, as the head of state, acts as a representative of the entire nation. He explained that performing the Pran Pratishtha with full faith and adherence to tradition empowers the Prime Minister to carry the well-being of the people with him during the ceremony.
“It’s not an inauguration where someone goes and cuts a ribbon and lights a lamp and comes. A Prime Minister follows all the rituals and all the rules that one needs to follow as a man. The head of the state. When he goes and does it, He represents the entire country. The head of a country is doing. He’s not just himself at that time. There is a saying in Sanskrit saying Sthana Pradhanam, Natubalap Pradhanam. The place is very important. The position is very important. And he holds the highest position, an important position in the country. And he carries the welfare of the people of the country. And he executes everything. So he is the right person to do it.” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
He called on all political parties to rise above their differences and participate in a celebration that belongs to the people, their emotions, and their faith. He argued that viewing this as a political event undermines the sanctity of the occasion, especially with the involvement of revered saints, swamis, and rituals.
“This is the moment that they (political parties) should forget about all other politics and other differences. Everyone should join because it’s of the people, it’s the emotions of the people, it’s the faith of the people. At this time, I would say this is the opportunity for all the political parties to rise above politics and come together and respect and be part of the celebration that the whole world is doing… How can you call something political? And when there are so many saints involved, swamis are involved, rituals are involved, and the whole nation is involved,” he said.
Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram’s idol is scheduled at the grand temple in Ayodhya at 12:30 PM on January 22. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the ceremony.
During the ceremony, an idol of Lord Ram will be enthroned in the sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
The rituals for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony began on Tuesday and will continue for seven days. Thousands of VIP guests have received invitations from the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the ceremony.
