Special worship offered to rock to be transported to Ayodhya

The rock for carving the childhood image of the Hindu god Ram to be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the under-construction Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh of India has arrived in Janakpurdham.

The rock was brought to the Janaki Temple here from Galeshwar of Kaligandaki on Saturday evening. The special worship called ‘Maha Puja’ was offered to the boulder this morning.

The holy men including Mahantha Ram Tapeshwar Das of the Janaki Temple, sadhus, Mahantha and devotees performed the Maha Puja at the Temple premises.

Roshan Das, the successor to Mahantha Ram Tapeshwar, said that the rock would be kept on the temple precincts throughout the day today for offering of the special worship. It will be taken around the Janakpurdham town amidst a religious procession tomorrow morning before taking it to Ayodhya.

He said the Janaki Temple’s Mahantha, Das and former Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, among other devotees will accompany the boulder towards Ayodhya.

Among the dignitaries present in the Maha Puja were the Madhes Province Chief Hari Shankar Mishra, Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav, Speaker Ram Chandra Mandal, leader Nidhi and CPN (UML) leader Juli Kumari Mahato (Mahaseth).