BENGALURU, 22 JAN

In a vibrant display of devotion and celebration, Hindu organisations bathed the city in saffron hues in the wake of the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday.

This joyous occasion, rivalling the grandeur of the renowned Hindu festival Deepavali, saw the city adorned with saffron festoons, flags depicting Lord Ram, Hanuman, Sita, and Lakshmana, and welcoming posters marking the return of Ram to his birthplace after a 500-year hiatus. Every nook and corner of the city embraced the festive spirit.

Devotees flocked to Lord Ram and Hanuman temples, as well as Lord Venkateshwara temples, from the early morning. Melodious bhajans and 'keerthans' resonated at various locations, with special prayers held at prominent temples like Ramanjaneya Gudda, Pattabhirama Swamy Temple, Rama Temple in Rajajinagar, Ramadevara Devasthana at Malleswaram and Rama Temple in Basavanagudi. These places also distributed 'prasad' to the devotees.

The BJP State headquarters - Jagannath Bhavan - in Bengaluru was the centre of attraction with decorative lights, festoons, banners and posters. BJP State President and Shikaripura MLA BY Vijayendra, along with MLAs and former ministers participated in the Shri Rama Taraka Mahayaga-Kalasabhishekam at Rani Abbakka Ground in Mahalakshmi Layout. Hindu Janajagriti Samiti organised a procession in the City.

Residents lauded the police for ensuring a peaceful atmosphere, and preventing any untoward incidents. The police vigilantly cracked down on organizers using high-decibel DJ speakers throughout the city. Notably, the sizable Jain community sponsored many events on this auspicious day.

Most small shops and eateries remained closed, and app-based rides were unavailable for nearly an hour during the consecration ceremony. Local bars and Maximum Retail Shops (MRP) experienced a steady flow of visitors in the afternoon.

Kaggalipura, a small village in the outskirts of Bengaluru organised a special pooja and deepotsava at Ganapati Temple on the day. The celebration was organised by MA Parvez, a member of Gram Panchayat of Kaggalipura. “I am thrilled being among the devotees and this is how I contribute to the diversity of the society,” Parvez told Salar News.

Many temples situated in villages along the Kanakapura main road like Tharalu, Saalu Hunase, Uddipalya, Lakshmipura, and even areas such as Banashankari and Jayanagar celebrated the day in myriad ways. 

Sri Anjaneya Swami Bhakta Mandir at Uddipalya hosted bhajans and Deepotsava in the evening. Nimishamba Temple in Jayanagar hosted pooja, maha-mangalarthi and naivedyam, said its high priest Narasimhaswamy.

Adding to the devotional spirit, Kadu Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple organised a Ratha Yatra from Malleswaram to Kodanda Rama Temple in Seshadripuram. Ram Pratisthpane (sanctification of the idol of Ram Lalla) plays a significant role among Indians, said Swami Vishnu Bhattar of the temple. “Even after a 14-year exile period in Treta Yuga, he needed to wait for 500 years to enter his hometown Ayodhya. During these 500 years, many people sacrificed their lives to make this day a fortunate and victorious one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled the dreams of millions of Indians.” Sharath Kumar KR, a resident of Seshadripuram who took part in the rituals at Kodanda Rama Temple said, "Today, my every heartbeat resonates with the name of Lord Ram." 

Near Palace Guttahalli, around 200 devotees gathered on a street to worship Ram. Hindu Seva Trust put up stalls from Rajarajeshwari Nagar to Nayandahalli to distribute food and sweets, and a private hospital, which wished to be unnamed, in RR Nagar distributed fruits and food to all the patients. Shakdwipiya Brahmin Samaj distributed food to more than 2,000 people in TCM Royan Road. Shailendra Sharma of the organisation said, “There is nothing more than this happiness of distributing food at the Ram Janmabhoomi inauguration.”

In Gali Anjaneyaswamy Temple in Vijayanagar, more than 2,000 devotees visited the temple on the special day. 

On the premises of the temple, ISKCON followers sold books of Ramayana epic. Vamshi Krishna, a resident of Girinagar, selling the Ramayana, said, “The day Lord Ram returns to his home, we want people to take Ramayana home.” Dhanu Gowda, a devotee, said, “Today feels like a new year. The fight is finally over and it is a celebration like no other.”

Auto drivers in City, especially in Old Guddadahalli and Hanumanthnagar, did pooja before the start of their day and hoisted Ram Navami flag in their vehicles. Global Mall, Mysuru Road, organised a live screening of the festival. 

From the early hours, areas like Hamumanthnagar, Basavangudi, and Srinagar were decked up with colourful rangoli, and the air resonated with mantras. Chickpete, one of the oldest areas of the city, commenced its celebration at midnight. “Though Chickpete area has more of the garbage and uneven roads issue, we are here for people who ensured our safety,” Vishwanath, a member of the parishad. 

Apartment associations in IT tech hubs such as Varthur, Whitefield, and Brookfield added to the festive atmosphere by decorating their buildings with pandals and dressing up children as characters from Ramayana. The entire city vibrated with the joyous spirit of this historic celebration.

(With inputs by Vaishnavi Gopalraj, Amullya Shivashankar, Vishal Mayur and Meghana Prasad)