US temples to organise week-long celebrations of Ram Mandir inauguration
Temples across the US are preparing week-long celebrations in North America to commemorate the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22 next year, a top official representing these temples has said.
«It's our fortune and blessings to us that we are part of this phenomenon and the temple of our dreams is getting materialised after centuries of wait and struggle. Everyone's emotions in the US and Canada are very high. Shraddha (devotion) is built up and everyone is eagerly waiting to receive Bhagwan Shri Ram in his mandir,» Tejal Shah from the Hindu Mandirs Empowerment Council (HMEC) told.
Hindu Mandirs Empowerment Council (HMEC) is the apex body of more than 1,100 Hindu Temples in the United States.
The week-long celebrations across small and big temples in North America, she said, will kick off on January 15 and culminate in the live telecast of the Ram Temple inauguration from Ayodhya on the night of January 20, she said.
Given the response so far, they expect thousands of Hindus to watch the inauguration ceremony, said Shah who has been heading the Hindu Mandirs Empowerment Council (HMEC).
«At the end of the event we will take a Sankalpa,» she said. «For us, it will be the 21st of January night 11 pm Eastern time. So we will all join virtually on that night to celebrate Bhagwan Shree Ram's pran pratishta,» she said.
So far several dozen temples have signed up for the curtain raiser event on January 15 for the Shri Ram Naam Sankirtan chanting by priests across North America.
More than half of the temples have signed up for the main events on January 21-22, she said. «Every week we see 100 plus mandirs registering for the events,» she
