Jharkhand woman to break 30-year-long 'Maun Vrat' after Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya

Dhanbad (Jharkhand): 85-year-old Saraswati Devi from Dhanbad will break her thirty-year-long maun vrat (vow of silence) after the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22.

Saraswati Aggarwal started the fast of silence thirty years ago by taking a pledge to end it only when the Ram temple in Ayodhya was built. On 22nd January, on the Pran Pratishta day of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, she will break her fast of silence by saying the words 'Ram, Sitaram.'

Saraswati Agarwal went to Ayodhya in May 1992, the year Babri Masjid was demolished. There she met Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of Ram Janmabhoomi Trust. He ordered her to circumambulate Kamtanath mountain. After receiving the order, she went to Chitrakoot. She remained in Kalpavas for seven and a half months by drinking a glass of milk and also circumambulated 14 km of Kamtanath mountain daily.

She Returned to Ayodhya after the parikrama. On December 6, 1992, she met Swami Nritya Gopal Das and got inspired. Since then, she pledged to keep a maun vrat till Ram Lalla was enshrined in the temple.

"Inspired by Nitya Gopal Das, she visits Ayodhya quite often. 30 years ago she vowed to speak only after she sees the Ram temple with her own eyes. She will break her fast on 22 January in Ayodhya, " said Saraswati Devi's youngest son Hari Lal Aggarwal.

Saraswati Devi received an invitation from Shri Ram Temple, Ayodhya to participate in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. She left for the temple town on Monday along with her brother.

"My life has become blessed. Ramlala has called me to participate in the Pran Pratistha. My penance and meditation were successful. After 30 years my silence will be broken with 'Ram Naam," wrote Saraswati Devi in her message.

Mother of eight children, Saraswati Devi has dedicated her whole life to reading the Ram Charit Manas and other religious texts. She never went to school but her husband Late Devkinandan Agarwal gave her the knowledge of letters.

The historic inauguration of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya will be held on January 22 in which thousands of devotees from across the country will pay their visit to the temple. (ANI)