While the chants of Jai Shri Ram echoed all over the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the 'Bhumi Pujan' of the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, August 5. Sacred offerings like holy water and soil from different states were welcomed for the land worship of the Ram temple.
Holy soil from various religious places and waters from 151 rivers were offered in the small pit that had been dug for 'Bhumi Pujan'.
Sacred soil from Sharada Peeth located in Pakistan occupied Kashmir also reached the Ayodhya on this auspicious day of land worship ceremony. Located in PoK, Sharada Peeth is one of the three famous holy sites for Kashmiri Pandits situated on the banks of the Neelum River.
Journey of sacred soil from Sharada Peeth to Ayodhya
Manjunath Sharma, a resident of Karnataka and an active member of the Seva Sharada Peeth, arrived in Ayodhya with the soil. Sharma said that he was there on the instructions of Chief Ravindra Pandit of Sharda Peeth.
Sharma said, "Actually Indian citizens are not allowed in PoK. So a member Bharatvanshi Venkatesh Raman and his wife living in China were sent to PoK by passport from China. The couple arrived in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), from Hong Kong. After reaching PoK, he came to Delhi via Hong Kong with offerings and holy soil from Sharda Peeth. Here he handed over this soil to me."
"Along with this, I also brought holy water from the Anjana mountain of Karnataka, which is considered to be the birthplace of Hanuman, a devotee of Ram."
We, Kashmiri Pandits are extremely happy today: Ravindra Pandita
Ravindra Pandit, Chief of Seva Sharada Peeth committee expressed joy over the auspicious land worship of Ram Mandir. We, Kashmiri Pandits are extremely happy that the sacred soil will be part of the holy land's foundation."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath were among those present at the 'Bhumi Pujan' that was conducted by priests from Varanasi and Ayodhya.
The Prime Minister performed all the rituals of the puja while RSS chief, chief minister and Governor sat at a considerable distance.
