Lucknow, Jan 4 (IANS): The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched a drive to exhort people to light at least five earthen lamps (diyas) outside their homes on Ram temple consecration day on January 22.
Each diya would symbolise the “wait of 100 years” for the temple which is scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This time Ram is coming back to his home after 500 years. It is just like the time when he returned to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in exile in Treta Yug,” said VHP national secretary general Milind Parande.
He said the VHP will reach out to crores of families in at least 5 lakh villages and cities of the country to convey the message of lighting diyas.
The drive is being carried alongside the 15-day ‘akshat’ (sacred rice) distribution campaign which started on January 1 in which the VHP cadres are urging people to hold special puja in nearby temples during the consecration ceremony.
The exercise would be a recapitulation of what was done in Ayodhya during Diwali last year in November, when the Yogi Adityanath government organised a ‘Deepotsav’ in which over 21 lakh earthen lamps were lit on the ghats of Saryu and Ram in Paidi.
VHP too had steered a drive in the temple town to light five lamps for the upcoming Ram temple.
The campaign had attained significance as it was the last Diwali before the grand opening of the Ram temple.
VHP spokesperson in Ayodhya, Sharad Sharma said: “Every temple and household in Ayodhya had lit up earthen lamps in Diwali to signify the coming of Ram Temple. We hope to see the same happening across the country on the day of Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla.”
He said VHP plans to scale up the campaign at the global level.
“We will help Ram Bhakts in over 50 countries, including the US, Australia and the UK, in holding prayers at the temples and lighting up diyas to celebrate the occasion,” he said, adding that the ceremonies conducted abroad will match the time zone in India.
Sources said VHP cadres will reach out to Dalits and other socio-economic sections to ensure their participation in the diya lighting campaign.