Tikaram Sunar The Shalagram rocks that were excavated in the Kaligandaki River of Nepal and are being taken to India for sculpting and placing the statue of Lord Ram in the under-construction Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Prades, had arrived in Gorakhpur on Tuesday night. The holy rocks that were being taken to Ayodhya from the Janaki Temple of Janakpurdham, Dhanusha with religious procession on January 31 had arrived Gorakhpur last night.
According to Janaki Temple Mahantha Rampateswor Das, the rocks would be taken to Ayodhya today itself and handed over to the temple management side amidst a special function. Tens of thousands Hindu devotees here are coming out from their homes to offer worships and pay homage to the holy rock which is considered the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. People are crowding up in the street to observe the rock that is to be used for carving the childhood image of Lord Ram.
“Devotees had also offered worships to the rock at Janakpurdham with much fanfare. People were seen further excited and elated while entering into Indian territories with the rocks”, Das shared, adding “I am overwhelmed to observe the faith and respect of the Hindus of Nepal and India to the Lord Ram and the Shalagram rock”. Likewise, former Deputy Prime Minster and Nepali Congress leader who is leading the Nepali delegation, Bimalendra Nidhi expressed his optimism that the exchange of holy rock would substantially contribute to bring the Nepal-India’s religious and cultural relation to a new height.
“The wedding of mother Janaki and Lord Ram in the Treta era had strengthened the Nepal-India knot. The holy rock brought from the Kaligandaki River would renew the time-honored relationship”, Nidhi said. “The matter that the carving of Lord Ram’s idol to be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple from Nepal’s holy rock has further elevated the religious, cultural historical importance of the relations between the two countries”, the former Deputy Prime Minister noted.
The spontaneous presence of the devotees in the street to pay homage to the rock has also enhanced its importance to a new height. The twin rocks that were taken out from the Kaligandaki River bank at Beni municipality-6, Thulopahiro in Myagdi on January 26 was brought to Janakpurdham on January 30. The Nepali delegation headed by Temple Mahantha Das and leader Nidhi comprises over 300 Nepali participants.
