Ayodhya Ram Mandir LIVE Updates: Puri Shankaracharya clarifies decision to skip ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony

Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj, the Shankaracharya of Puri, said the decision to skip the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya is rooted in the deviation from established traditions during the installation of the Ram Lalla idol.

“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? The presence of a ‘secular’ government does not imply the obliteration of tradition,” ANI quoted the Shankaracharya as saying.