NEW DELHI: As engineers and scientists kept their gaze fixed at their computer screens at ISRO’s command centre in Bengaluru, crores of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists on Wednesday came together to pray for the success of Chandrayaan-3.
Scores of social, religious and non-profit organisations organized havan, puja, namaz and prayer services across the country for Vikram, the lander of Chandrayaan-3, to land safely on the lunar surface at 6:04 pm.
In the national capital, faithfuls performed havan and offered prayers at Delhi’s Kalka Temple. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Mahasabha and several other Hindu outfits also organized special puja at different places in the capital city.
Hundreds of patriots from the Muslim community gathered at a mosque in Mumbai’s Malad to offer namaz for the success of India’s lunar mission, which aims to study, among other things, the source of water on the moon’s south pole. “23 August ka din, chand pe Jai Hind!” a woman, holding the Tricolour in her hands, declared.
READ MORE: Chandrayaan Success: India scripts history by landing Moon
Similarly, scores of nammazis offered prayers at Islamic Center of India in Lucknow.
In the temple town of Puri in Odisha, sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik created a sand art to boost the morale of Indian scientists who remained glued to their computer screens at the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru.
Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, started its power descent at 5:45 pm and touched the lunar surface at 6:03 – about one minute before its expected touch down.
“’India, I reached my destination and you too!’: Chandrayaan-3 mission,” tweeted ISRO.
READ MORE: All you need to know about India’s Moon Mission
With the successful soft-landing, India has entered the elite club of countries who have sent lunar missions in the past – the US, erstwhile Russia, and China.
It became the first country in the world to land a touchdown at the south pole – the farthest side of the moon from the Earth.
Amid rounds of applause, ISRO chairman S Somnath told media persons at ISTRAC: “Lander Vikram will release rover Pragyan in a few hours. The rover will study the lunar surface and environment for a period of 14 days (or one lunar day).”