January 22 will be historic day: 'Ramayan' actor Sunil Lahri
India is gearing up for the much-awaited Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, which will take place in Ayodhya on Monday (January 22). Many renowned celebrities, sportspersons, businesspeople, politicians, and religious leaders have been invited to the event. One of them is actor Sunil Lahri, acclaimed for his role as Laxman in Ramanand Sagar's immortal TV series, Ramayan. Now, in an interview with PTI, Lahri—who is already in Ayodhya—spoke about how Monday will be a "historic" day for the country.
Lahri opened up on experience of visiting Ayodhya earlier
Lahri opened up about being hurt when he visited Ayodhya over three decades ago for the first time where he saw Lord Ram's idol in a tent. "I felt very bad. I told myself, look at this place, this is where Lord Ram was born and now he has been kept in such a place. It was very pathetic... Over time, justice has moved in the right direction." "A lot of effort, sacrifice, and labor has gone into [the temple]."
Lahri thinks it's 'biggest achievement' for India
Lahri hailed the consecration ceremony as the "biggest achievement" for which "India was struggling for over 500 years." "It is going to be a historic day for India." Moreover, he opened up about the recent criticism of Sanatana Dharma. He said, "They probably do not understand what Sanatana Dharma is. Sanatana Dharma has a king-size heart and has the power to absorb all negativities. People from foreign nations are increasingly adopting Sanatana Dharma as they find inner peace through it."
On differences between Ram and Laxman
Lahri also underlined the difference between the personalities of Lord Ram and his younger brother, Laxman. "Laxman is a character who does not support anything wrong. Laxman was always a shadow of Lord Ram." "Ram was basically calm, quiet, and very composed and Laxman was exactly the opposite. Ram and Laxman are the two natures of a human being. You have to be Ram at places, and at other places, you have to be a Laxman," he added.
Refresher: 'Ramayan' was nationwide rage in 1980s
Ramayan was telecast on Doordarshan between 1987 and 1988 (78 episodes). It was termed a nationwide phenomenon, with people of all regions and religions gathering to see the story of Lord Rama and his heroic battle for righteousness. Arun Govil starred as Ram, while Deepika Chikhalia played Sita. Both of them are also currently in Ayodhya. Dara Singh (Hanuman), Arvind Trivedi (Raavan), Sanjay Jog (Bharat), and Sameer Rajda (Shatrughna) were also members of the primary cast.
Ayodhya: These celebrities have also been invited
Other celebrities invited to the upcoming ceremony include Bollywood bigwigs such as Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, and Ranbir Kapoor. Acclaimed directors Rajkumar Hirani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rohit Shetty, and producer Mahaveer Jain have also received invitations to the grand event. Additionally, South Indian actors like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Dhanush, and Rishabh Shetty are some other guests who might grace the event with their presence.
