PM Modi visits Ram Setu’s origin point ahead of Ram temple consecration

| Updated: 21 January, 2024 1:08 pm IST

PM Modi visits Ram Setu's origin point ahead of Ram temple consecration.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arichal Munai, the point believed to be the origin of the Ram Setu, near Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu on Sunday morning. The visit preceded the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple for the next day in Ayodhya. During his visit, Modi practiced ‘anulom vilom’ at the Arichal Munai Point.

Dhanushkodi holds immense historical and religious significance as it is widely believed to be the point where Lord Ram took the vow to defeat Ravana. This holy soil is considered the departure point from where Lord Ram proceeded to Lanka to bring back Goddess Sita.

Modi also participated in a puja at the Sri Kothandarama Swamy temple in Dhanushkodi. The name ‘Kothandarama’ signifies Rama with the bow. Legend has it that this is where Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother, sought refuge from Lord Ram. Some traditions suggest that this is the place where Lord Ram conducted the coronation of Vibhishana.

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These visits hold special importance as Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on Monday for the pran-pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir. Prior to this, on Saturday, Modi visited the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli and the Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.

With anticipation building for the grand event in Ayodhya, which is expected to host nearly 8,000 VIP guests, the Uttar Pradesh Police Force has intensified security measures in the temple town. Additional Director General (ADG) Lucknow Zone, Piyush Mordia, mentioned enhanced patrolling on the Saryu River through boats and aerial surveillance using drones.

The idol of Lord Ram Lalla, crafted by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, has been securely placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in Ayodhya. Weighing 1.5 tonnes and standing 51 inches tall, the idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus, also crafted from the same stone.

As part of the preparations, a ’56 bhog prasad’, intended to be offered to Ram Lalla ‘first’ after the pran-pratishtha ceremony, has already arrived in the city from Lucknow.