'Expected to sit and applaud when PM...': Puri Shankaracharya on decision to skip Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration

As four Shankaracharyas are contemplating skipping Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22 January, Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj has said that their decision to not attend is rooted in the deviation from established traditions during the installation of the Ram Lalla idol.

While speaking to news agency , “The Shankaracharyas uphold their own dignity. This is not about ego. Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the Prime Minister installs the idol of Ram Lalla? The presence of a 'secular' government does not imply the obliteration of tradition." Swami Nischalananda Saraswati is the 145th Sankaracharya of the Govardhana Peetha at Jagannath Puri, Odisha.

He took the responsibility of the Peet as its head on 9th February 1992 (Vikram Samvat 2048). Also Read: Earlier on 13 January, in a , Nischalananda Saraswati stated, “Who said that all the four Shankaracharyas disagreed on the ceremony? It is false." He further clarified, ’ in his own abode, it is necessary.

But it is also necessary to follow all the shastra vidhi (rituals of the shastras) that align with traditional practices while doing that. Shankaracharyas of Shri Shringeri Sharda Peeth Karnataka, Dwarka Sharda Peeth in Gujarat, Jyotir Peeth in Uttarakhand and Govardhan Peeth in Odisha have decided to not to attend the consecration ceremony on 22 January.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have claimed that the Shankaracharyas have decided against attending the event after objecting to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at an 'incomplete temple'. Turning down the invite for the Pran Pratishtha event, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that even our Shankaracharya's (religious guru) will not be attending the Ram Mandir event which shows that the reason for not attending it is important.

Also Read: "When they politicised the event and took decisions, our Shankaracharyas, who are at the top of Sanatan Dharma and guide us, said that they will not be attending the event. This has become such an issue that all Shankarachariyas are saying they will boycott this event. If the Shankaracharyas are saying so, it has its own importance," Gehlot said.

Meanwhile, Preparations are in full swing for the grand inauguration of the temple, anticipated to attract dignitaries and individuals from various backgrounds. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has set noon on January 22 as the moment to install the idol of Ram Lalla in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple.

The Vedic rituals for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya are scheduled to commence on January 16, one week prior to the main ceremony. Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away!.