‘Ramotsav’:- In the run-up to the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple, events will begin this month while the mega functions will start from Makar Sankranti on January 14/15 next year and continue till the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

The Yogi Adityanath government has allocated Rs 100 crore for ‘Ramotsav’, a series of religious events in temples in 826 local bodies across Uttar Pradesh and the Ram Paduka Yatra.

The yatra will traverse through the Ram Van Gaman Path taken by Lord Ram while proceeding for 14-year exile from Ayodhya and cover the entire country.

Continuous recitals of Ramcharitmanas, Ramayana and Hanuman Chalisa will take place in temples associated with the ‘Ramayan tradition’.

According to a government spokesman, “The plan is to connect each district and every prominent temple in the state with the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla and make the entire state ‘Ram-mai’.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.

The Uttar Pradesh government’s department of tourism and culture is organising the event with the help of the tourism and cultural council in each district.

The UP government has also planned a series of events in the government-run schools. These will include art, essay writing, fancy dress competitions and religious songs based on Ramayan. Workshops on how to carve out idols of Lord Ram will also be organised.

A display of Ram Katha through projection mapping and dragon show in Ayodhya is also on the cards besides a water laser show at River Saryu, depicting various events of Ramayan.

The UP government has approved a proposal to upgrade Ayodhya Research Institute, established on August 18, 1986. Now, it will be the International Ramayan and Vedic Research Institute for which the state government has approved a budget of Rs 5.72 crore. The project will be executed by the department of culture.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to distribute sacred rice (Akshata), offered to the deity at Ram Janmabhoomi, to 500,000 temples in as many villages across the country ahead of the consecration ceremony scheduled on January 22.

“Around 100 volunteers and office-bearers of the VHP were handed over a pitcher of 5.25 kg of sacred rice in Ayodhya on November 5,” said Sharad Sharma, regional spokesperson, VHP.

After Vedic rituals, it will be distributed from January 1 and the campaign will end on January 15. IANS/SP