Washington DC [US]: To celebrate the upcoming Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Hindu Americans led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, America, organised a mini car and bike rally at a local Hindu temple, Shri Bhakta Anjaneya Temple, in Maryland.
The event took place in the street named 'Ayodhya Way', where the car riders rode on this American street to celebrate the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Many Hindu Americans from different age groups--ranging from as small as 10 to as old as over 70--and from different backgrounds from various Indian states joined to celebrate the inauguration of the temple.
One of the organisers of the event, Mahendra Sapa, President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America DC chapter, said that on the occasion of Ram Mandir's inauguration, they are organising a historic celebration in the Washington DC area.
"After 500 years of struggle by Hindus, Bhagwan Shri Ram Mandir is being inaugurated. So we are organising a historic celebration of the same in the Washington DC area on January 20, 2024, with about 1000 American Hindu families. The celebration will include Ram Leela, stories of Shri Ram, Hindu prayers to Shri Ram, and Bhajans (devotional songs to Shri Ram and his family)," he said.
Another co-organizer, Animesh Shukla said the celebration will feature a 45-minute enactment of Lord Ram's life by kids of various ages in a manner understandable to American kids.
A co-organizer and local Tamil Hindu leader, Premkumar Swaminathan, sang a song praising Lord Ram in Tamil. He invited all the families for the January 20 celebration in the US, as well as for the actual inauguration in Ayodhya on January 22.
Several other organisers spoke in other languages, including Kannada and Telugu, describing the importance of Lord Ram in their lives and how he is "exemplary to Hindu families" living all over the world. Suresh Hosamane, who hails from Karnataka, was also present at the event and spoke about Lord Ram.
Krishna Gudipati, the organiser of the car rally, invited all devotees of Lord Ram to celebrate the celebration of Ayodhya Mandir for a bigger car and bike rally.
Ankur Mishra, a local Hindu leader who belongs to the second generation born in America, explained how important it is to remember the historic inauguration of the Ayodhya Mandir for many generations of Hindu families to become model citizens of American culture.
Meanwhile, the Ram Temple is to be inaugurated in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple between noon and 12:45 pm on January 22, next year.
Local authorities are gearing up for the anticipated surge in visitors around the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony and are in the process of implementing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for all attendees.
—ANI