Several seers on Monday came out strongly in support of the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram's idol at the temple in Ayodhya, which is scheduled for January 22, amid criticism of the exercise by some 'shankaracharyas' on the ground that the temple is not fully constructed yet.
Endorsing the ceremony, they noted that when the 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony at the Somnath temple in Gujarat was done, it was far from complete and asserted that the exercise in Ayodhya was in line with scriptures.
Shashikant Das of Saryu Aarti said in a statement that the auspicious occasion in Ayodhya has come after a wait and struggle of 500 years and nothing should be done to take away from the enormity of the occasion.
The contribution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in making it happen should be acknowledged, he said, asserting the entire country will be overflowing with joy on the occasion.
Mahant Narayan Giri of Dudheswar Mandir said the consecration ceremony is an event of great fortune and it was unfortunate that some people were raising an issue over it.
He said holy 'kalash' and 'dhwaja' (flag) were installed in the Somnath temple 14 years after the consecration ceremony, which was attended by the then president Rajendra Prasad.
The then home minister Sardar Patel had played a key role in the temple's reconstruction, he noted.
The Ayodhya ceremony is taking place at an auspicious time in accordance with what scriptures stipulate, and there is an atmosphere of joy in the country, he said, adding that no one should oppose it.
Spiritual leader Devki Nandan Thakur said no one should make an issue about the event. Citing a book, he said the Somnath ceremony had taken place in 1951 when even its sanctum sanctorum was not fully complete.
The sanctum sanctorum of the Ayodhya temple is ready and so is its first floor, he said, adding that Modi is the first prime minister who 'proudly lives like a sanatani'.
At least two of the four 'shankaracharyas' have criticised the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, claiming that it was wrong to do so when the temple is still under construction.
