A festive spirit is taking over the State as devotees are set to celebrate the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. While temples are getting decked up and some of them are making preparations for live screening of the event, elsewhere the event has unleashed creativity among the young and the old.
7-FOOT HIGH REPLICA OF RAM MANDIR
In Vasco, Yash Naik, a 16-year-old from Vasco, along with his father Ramchandra Naik, has meticulously curated a detailed replica of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Ramchandra is proud of his his son. “My son is very talented and also creative. I had shown him the temple photos and we decided to get the replica made, which was completed in eight days,” he said.
While giving the final touches to the replica, he said, “If we cannot get to Ram Mandir, why not bring the mandir home? We will be taking the temple around in our car, so that people can also see it.” The miniature temple is made of thermocol and is 7 feet high and 8 feet wide.
MARKETS BUZZING WITH RAM-BASED DÉCOR, FLAGS
The Panjim market is bustling with a myriad items on sale – from flags to décor, diyas and much more. “Most of the items in our shop have already been sold out. The devotees loved the scarfs with the picture of Lord Ram on it. They were sold at Rs 150 per piece. The flags vary from Rs 70 to Rs 700 based on the sizes,” a shopkeeper from the market said.
Manish, who works in a small shop in Margao, has seen locals buy more flags. “We got people who came to buy two-three flags at a time. It’s been a good week for my business too.”
RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES, LIVE SCREENINGS
Every temple and it’s devotees across the state are excited to organise activities and at the Shree Mahalasa Narayani Devalaya, Old Mardol, Verna, devotees are planning to have a massive Deepostsav where around 25,000 earthen lamps will be lit in the vicinity of the temple premises on January 22, 6 pm onwards.
Suhas Vernekar, from the temple says, “We expect to have around 5,000 people and the diyas are going to be placed on various rangoli designs like the bow and arrow, swastika and much more.”
Along with the lighting of diyas, most temples in the state are planning live screenings. Pandurang (Bhai) Nayak of Maruti Temple in Margao informed, “We have live screenings for those who want to watch the consecration at the temple. We will also have other religious activities.”
Multiplex chain PVR INOX has collaborated with news channel AajTak and will broadcast the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony live in over 160 cinema halls in more than 70 cities across India at Rs 100 per ticket.
EVENTS FOR KIDS
Raghuvir Mahale of Yuva from Mala, Panjim, has organised a drawing competition for people in the area. “Why should the kids be left out? We have a drawing competition for children and their parents. As of now, we have received around 400 entries and more are still registering.”
The festivities have begun and with less than 48 hours left for the grand opening of the Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, one can feel devotion everywhere in Goa.