Modi Cleans Nashik Temple, Listens to Ramayana's 'Yuddha Kanda' Amid Preps for Ram Mandir

Days ahead of the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday offered prayers at the Shree Kala Ram Mandir situated along the banks of Godavari in Maharashtra’s Nashik. The temple is situated in the Panchavati area of the city.

The ‘Yuddh Kand’ of the Hindu epic Ramayan, which depicts Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya, was played in Marathi at the temple for PM Modi. The Prime Minister listened to the AI-translated Hindi episode. In addition to this, PM Modi also cleaned the premises of the Shree Kala Ram Mandir.

The Prime Minister is set to inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival in the city and is scheduled to visit Mumbai later in the day to open the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), the country’s longest sea bridge.

Significance Behind PM Modi’s Visit

PM Modi’s visit to the Lord Ram temple in Nashik just 10 days before the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple holds significance as the place is considered to have great importance in the life of Lord Ram.

Interestingly, among the many places mentioned in the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’, Panchavati occupies a special place as Lord Ram spent several years of his exile with Ma Sita and Lakshman Ji in the Dandakaranya forest. It is believed that Panchavati was a part of the Dandakaranya Forest mentioned in the epic Ramayana.

According to religious beliefs, there was a hut of Lord Shri Ram and Mata Janaki at this place during their exile.

PM Modi Cleans Nashik’s Kala Ram Temple

“I had called that by January 22, we all should clean the pilgrimage places and temples of the country and run a cleanliness campaign. Today, I have the privilege of visiting Kala Ram Temple and cleaning the temple premises,” PM Modi said in Nashik, adding, “I will reiterate my request to the countrymen to run cleanliness campaigns in all the temples and pilgrimage areas of the country and donate their labor on the occasion of the auspicious occasion of inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya.”

Earlier on January 8, PM Modi Modi initiated the ‘Swachh Mandir’ (Clean Temple) campaign, aiming to make the holy city of Ayodhya clean. In a video message, PM Modi called upon citizens to unite in making Ayodhya the cleanest city in India. He urged people nationwide to kick off a cleanliness campaign at smaller pilgrimage sites starting from Makar Sankranti (January 14) and continuing until January 22.

Ayodhya Ram Temple Inauguration Jan 22

The devotional fervour is at its peak across the nation as Ayodhya is gearing up to mark the momentous occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22.

The grand event will be attended by several BJP leaders, including veterans like LK Advani. Invitations for the ceremony has been extended to many leaders belonging to different political parties. Several prominent personalities from the film and television industry, sports as well as seers and scholars have also been invited to attend the event.