Puri's Shankaracharya explains decision to skip Ram Mandir consecration ceremony
Amid the controversy over the four Shankaracharyas skipping the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Puri's Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj on Monday made a statement explaining the reason behind the decision. Speaking to news agency ANI, Swami Nischalanand said that the decision is rooted in the deviation from established traditions during the installation of the Ram Lalla idol.
Why does this story matter?
Four Shankaracharyas (religious leaders), who oversee the peeths (shrines) in Puri, Joshimath, Sringeri, and Dwarka, took a unified stand against attending the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take center stage on January 22 during the unveiling of the Ram Mandir, with the temple complex set to be open for the public later. The invitations for the consecration ceremony triggered a political row after several politicians felt they were purpose left out.
Shankaracharyas uphold dignity, not ego: Swami Nischalanan
In a statement, Swami Nischalanand said that the decision to skip the temple's consecration ceremony was not taken because of "ego", but to uphold "dignity". "The Shankaracharyas uphold their own dignity. This is not about ego. Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the prime minister installs the idol of Ram Lalla?" he asked. "The presence of a 'secular' government does not imply the obliteration of tradition," Puri's Shankaracharya added.
Other reasons behind Shankaracharyas skipping Ram Mandir inauguration
Earlier, Joshimath Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati announced that none of the pontiffs would be in Ayodhya on January 22 because the temple was consecrated before its full construction. Saraswati also claimed that the ceremony violates the rules of Sanatan Dharma and that installing Lord Ram's idols before the temple's construction is against the Hindu religion. "It's the duty of Shankaracharya to ensure that religious scriptures are properly followed," he added.
Political row over Ram Mandir's inauguration ceremony
Meanwhile, Ram Mandir's consecration ceremony also triggered a political row after the opposition labeled it an out-and-out political event by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Last week, top Congress leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi rejected the invitation to the consecration event and called it a "political project" of the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Moreover, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left parties also decided not to attend the January 22 ceremony in Ayodhya.
