Ayodhya: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said he would visit Ayodhya along with his party leaders on April 9. Shinde will visit the Ram temple construction site and perform 'aarti' at the Saryu river there.
While addressing the press conference, the Chief Minister made the announcement. "I will visit Ayodhya on April 9 with my party ministers, MLAs, MPs and other functionaries. We will visit the Ram temple construction site and also perform 'aarti' at the Saryu river," Shinde said.
Shinde 2nd Maharashtra CM to visit Ayodhya
Shinde will be the second Maharashtra Chief Minister to pray at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Earlier in March 2020, former CM Uddhav Thackeray had prayed there. Like Thackeray, Shinde will also perform the aarti and worship Ram Lalla. He will also visit the Shri Hanuman Garhi Temple there.
The Chief Minister plan to visit the ancient city was made after a Mahant of Ayodhya extended a personal invitation to him to visit the Lord Ram Temple.
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Maharashtra's contribution in Ram temple
Shinde further said that as a token of Maharashtra's contribution in the Ram temple, logs of 'sag' (teak) wood would be donated for the construction activity.
"As part of the 'kar seva' (during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement), my mentor late Anand Dighe had donated a silver brick for the Ayodhya temple. We have an old bond with Ayodhya and Lord Ram," the Chief Minister added.
Shinde said that his party ministers and leaders, who could not visit Ayodhya last time (during the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led government) will accompany him to the Uttar Pradesh city.
Earlier, former minister Aditya Thackeray had visited the Lord Ram Temple and offered prayers there in June 2022. However, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray was prevented from going to Ayodhya last year in view of threats by the Uttar Pradesh BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
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Idol of Ram Lala would be installed on 2024 Makar Sankranti
The idol of Ram Lala would be installed at Ram temple in Ayodhya on the Makar Sankranti next year, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had said in January. Lord Ramlala's idol will be established in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
"About 40-50 per cent of the construction work of the Ram temple here is complete and on the Makar Sankranti in 2024 the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed," Trust's General Secretary Champat Rai said here addressing the media persons.
(With agencies input)
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