VHP working president Alok Kumar on Thursday said statements of Dwarka and Shringeri Shankaracharyas welcoming the ‘pran pratishtha’ are already in the public domain.The Puri Shankaracharya is also in favour of the ceremony, he added. “They have said that they will come for darshan of Ram Lalla at an opportune time,” he added. “Only Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya has made remarks against the ceremony, but the remaining three Shankaracharyas have made it clear that statements attributed to them were misleading as they are in full support of the ceremony,” Kumar told TOI.
Ram Temple Trust of Ayodhya makes accommodation arrangements for priests ahead of Pran Pratishtha
‘Duty of seers to ensure religious scriptures are properly followed’
Shankaracharya of Shringeri Peeth, Swami Bharati Teerth, and Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Swami Sadananda Sarswati, said it was a matter of joy for the followers of Sanatan Dharma.
A written statement issued by Dwarka Peeth says that statements published in a section of media were without Shankaracharya’s permission.
Similarly, a statement from Shringeri Peeth says that some social media outlets have shared posts that give the impression that the Shankaracharya is against the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony. “Shringeri Shankaracharya has not given any such message. It’s propaganda by enemies of religion,” the statement says. “The Shringeri Shankaracharya blesses all the believers to take part in this pious occasion…” it adds.
In a video message earlier, Joshimath’s Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had said that none of the four Shankaracharyas will attend the ceremony in Ayodhya as it was being done before the completion of temple construction work.
“It is the duty of Shankaracharyas to ensure that religious scriptures are properly followed,” Avimukteshwaranand said. “Modi (PM) will inaugurate the temple, he will touch the idol, then what am I supposed to do? Stand and clap?” the seer could be heard saying in a video that has been widely circulated on social media.
On January 4, Shankaracharya of Puri, Nischalananda Saraswati, had told reporters that he would skip the consecration ceremony as he was “conscious of the dignity of his position”.
Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had supported a candidate of Ram Rajya Parishad in 2019 Lok Sabha polls against PM Modi in Varanasi. He also sat on a dharna after his candidature was rejected.
