42-Day Mahamandal Festival begins in Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple

AYODHYA: A day after Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmbhoomi Temple complex, a 42-day Mahamandal festival began on Wednesday in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya.

The festival was started in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly constructed Ram temple in conjunction with Ram Mandir trustee Jagadguru Vishvesh Prapann Tirtha.

The festival will include a daily Kalash puja and forty-eight worshipped urns will be kept in the sanctum sanctorum, said the trustee of Ram Temple

Govind Devagiri, treasurer of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, said that the worship of Lord Ram will be done according to Vaishnav tradition. All types of sweets should be offered to him in Rajbhog.

Havan will be performed daily for 42 days and along with the havan, various types of mantras will be recited and chanted.

"We are starting a new process of worship. The worship will be done according to Vaishnav tradition. Our trustee brothers and Pujyashri Vishvaprapan Tirthaji Maharaj of Peja Math are sitting in the Mandal after gathering their seats to perform the puja. Havan will be performed here daily for 42 days and along with the havan, various types of mantras will be recited and chanted. Along with that, Lord Ram will also be made to listen to different types of music. The ritual continues till the Mandal Puja is done," said Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj, Treasurer Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra.

Earlier, on the second day of the Ayodhya Ram temple being opened for the public, fervour among devotees remained high as a large number of devotees visited the temple on Wednesday, offering prayers during Mangala Aarti.

Following the directives of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, DG Law and Order Prashant Kumar, and local officials monitored the proceedings and ensured a smooth experience for the devotees.

CM Yogi is also taking continuous feedback regarding the Ayodhya Ram Temple darshan.

DG (L&O) Prashant Kumar, along with Principal Secretary Sanjay Prasad, assessed the security arrangements and ensured devotees' orderly movement in Ayodhya.

On the third day, a significant influx of devotees prompted Prasad and Kumar to monitor the 'Garbha Griha' closely.

DG (L&O) Prashant Kumar, while speaking to media personnel, said, "People have gathered here in huge numbers. The principal home secretary and I have been sent here. We have improved the queue system for crowd management. We have made channels for the people."

The Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple in Ayodhya was held on Monday. The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony.