'Ganesh Pujan' to be held on day 3 of pre-Ram temple consecration rituals

Ayodhya: 'Ganesh Pujan' and 'Varun Pujan' will be held on Thursday as part of the rituals being performed in the run-up to the January 22 consecration ceremony at the Ram temple here, a priest said.

The idol of Ram Lalla was brought inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on Wednesday night while a 'Kalash Pujan' was held earlier in the day. The rituals started on Tuesday, and Ram temple trust general secretary Champat Rai said that these will continue till January 21.

"The idol of Ram Lalla has been kept inside the sanctum sanctorum but it is not 'virajmaan' (installed) yet. There is a technical issue and engineers will be looking into it," priest Arun Dixit told PTI.

"Today, the idol will be cleansed with water as part of the 'Jaladhivas' ritual and 'Ganesh Pujan' and 'Varun Pujan' will be held," he added.

He said 121 priests will be assigned puja tasks and there will also be a 'Vastu Puja' outside the sanctum sanctorum on the temple premises.

The Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' will begin at 12.20 pm on January 22 and is expected to end by 1 pm

On the day of the consecration, the minimum essential rituals needed for the 'Pran Pratishtha' of the idol of Ram Lalla will be conducted.