On the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday, a celestial spectacle unfolded at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The Sun’s rays formed a ‘Surya Tilak’ on the forehead of the idol of Lord Ram, known as Ram Lalla, marking the first Ram Navami since the temple’s inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22, 2024.
At precisely 12:01 pm, the Sun’s rays touched Ram Lalla’s forehead, creating a mesmerising display that lasted for approximately two to two-and-a-half minutes. The ‘surya tilak’, measuring around 58 mm, was witnessed by devotees across Ayodhya, thanks to large LED screens installed at nearly 100 locations.
This celestial event was made possible by an intricate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses, designed to reflect the Sun’s rays into the temple’s sanctum sanctorum from the third floor near the shikara. The mechanism was the brainchild of scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, who worked in consultation with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
The optomechanical system has been engineered to position the Sun’s rays accurately on the idol’s forehead each Ram Navami. It will require minor adjustments to the mirrors and lenses annually to account for changes in the Sun’s direction.
On this special day, Ram Lalla was dressed in yellow clothes and bathed with Panchamrit. The chief priest of the Ram Mandir also made fifty-six types of offerings to Lord Ram.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was campaigning in Assam, joined the celebrations by chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. He expressed his joy at the unique celebration, stating, “There is a new atmosphere in the entire country and this birthday of Lord Ram has come after 500 years, when he got the privilege of celebrating his birthday in his own home.”
In a tweet, PM Modi invited Lord Ram devotees worldwide to witness the “wonderful” moment, saying, “After waiting for five centuries, today we have got the privilege of celebrating this Ram Navami in Ayodhya in this manner. This is the fruit of so many years of hard penance, sacrifice and sacrifice of the countrymen.”
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