New Delhi: Ram Lalla will celebrate Holi at his newly constructed temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday, a day following the nationwide celebration of the festival. Nine priests will conduct special prayers and apply eco-friendly 'gulal' on the deity, followed by devotees joining in the festivities by playing Holi with the same 'gulal'.
The celebration, expected to span five hours, was confirmed by Ram temple head priest Satyendra Das. The bright pink 'gulal' used in the celebrations is made from kachnar flowers, believed to have been Ayodhya's state tree during the Treta Yuga era.
Priests Will Perform Rituals
The trustees of the Ram temple have have decided that Ram Lalla will be playing Holi on Tuesday, using 'gulal' made from kachnar flowers procured from Lucknow. Nine priests, including the head priest, will conduct the ritual of applying 'gulal' on Ram Lalla following his 'shringar aarti', after which the same 'gulal' will be distributed among devotees, Satyendra Das said. The festivities are scheduled to commence around 7 am to 12 noon, he said, reported PTI.
"The festival will be celebrated in a very grand and divine manner. Devotees are excited as this is the first Holi in Ayodhya after the January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremony", he added.
Raju Das, the priest of the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya, mentioned it as one of the most ancient festivals. He noted that throughout history, spanning from the era of Lord Ram to that of Lord Krishna, Holi has been celebrated with full festive fervour and enthusiasm.
Ayodhya resident Prajjwal Singh said, "This is the first Holi after the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol and the people of Ayodhya are very happy about it. we hope that the Holi of Ayodhya will also gain global popularity in the coming years."
The 'gulal' to be applied on Ram Lalla during the Holi celebrations has been prepared by a dedicated team from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI). CSIR-NBRI Director Ajit Kumar Shasany said , The 'gulal' has been made from kachnar flowers, renowned for their 30 medicinal properties, ensuring both safety and symbolism in the festivities.
Shasany said that the pink hue of the 'gulal' made directly from the flowers themselves, with vegetable starch serving as the base material instead of talcum powder. 2-3 kg of 'gulal' was prepared using 5-6 kg of kachnar flowers collected over a span of two months