Temples throughout the United States are gearing up to celebrate the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya next week, with a significant number of Indian Americans expected to attend various events starting this week.
According to news agency PTI, Kalyan Viswanathan, president of Hindu University of America, expressed joy in a blog post, stating, "Ayodhya is re-emerging from destruction and neglect, epitomizing the eternal nature of Sanātana Dharma. The upcoming consecration at Ram Lalla Mandir after 550 years is bringing immense joy to the city and nearly a billion Hindus across the world."
The consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya temple is scheduled for January 22.
Kapil Sharma from the Shri Sita Ram Foundation in Texas, organizing the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Pran Pratishtha celebration in Houston, highlighted the importance of the construction of Lord Ram’s temple, saying, "The construction of Lord Ram’s temple at Ayodhya Dham, after a wait of 500 years, marks an important day of faith and celebration for Hindus worldwide."
The celebration in Houston will include the Sundarkand, cultural programs featuring dance, singing, and music, a havan, Lord Ram’s Pattabhishek, and a procession of Lord Ram, followed by prasad distribution, reported PTI. Sharma mentioned, "We are also honoured to distribute prasad and raj (holy dust) from Ayodhya Dham, which is being flown in, especially for our event."
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is expected to attend a Ram Mandir celebration event in a suburb of Washington DC, with some Pakistani Americans also participating in the festivities in the Greater Washington DC area.
Amitabh Mittal from Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), leading nationwide festivities, expressed the significance of the occasion, stating, "The long-awaited dream of millions of followers of Lord Sri Rama is about to become a reality." Nearly 1,000 temples across the US will initiate celebrations, commencing this weekend, to mark this historic event.
In the Washington DC chapter of VHPA, a car rally, dhol-tashe (drums), and Shri Ram Puja have been planned, along with cultural performances at a high school in the Maryland suburb. Car rallies are set to take place in over 20 cities, including a large one in the Bay Area, California, where over 600 cars are expected to participate, reported PTI.
Deepti Mahajan shared details about a unique car rally in the San Francisco area, stating, "The devotees of Lord Rama will hold a car rally in the San Francisco area to mark the occasion, the rally will be accompanied by images of Lord Rama on digital mobile trucks and melodious hymns about him."
A Tesla Musical light show was organised earlier this week in honour of the Ram Mandir inauguration.
VHP-America has rented outdoor spaces in various parts of the country to display the Ram temple consecration ceremony on big billboards in cities such as Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles. Additionally, to commemorate the occasion, Sony plans to showcase Srimad Ramayana in Times Square on January 21.