Devotees of Lord Ram are leaving no stone unturned to express their love and excitement for the ‘pran-pratishtha’ ceremony to be held at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. On Saturday, the world’s largest lock, weighing 400 kg, and 1,265 kg of laddoo prasad reached Ayodhya as offerings from ardent devotees.

An elderly couple, Satya Prakash Sharma and his wife Rukmini Sharma, made the 400-kg lock. A resident of Aligarh, Satya passed away recently. His wish was that the lock should be gifted to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Mahamandaleshwar Annapurna Bharti Puri, an Aligarh resident, made arrangements to bring the lock to Ayodhya. He also talked about how the lock would make Aligarh internationally famous for its lock industry.

“Satya Prakash Sharma died before completing the lock but we got it completed by working day and night,” news agency ANI quoted Puri as saying.

“The honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls Aligarh Talanagari (the city of locks). The purpose of presenting the world’s largest lock at the feet of Lord Ram is to represent Aligarh on an international platform. People from the entire country and from across the world who will come to Ayodhya will appreciate the large lock, which will boost the lock manufacturing industry in Aligarh. This initiative will also provide an economic boost to the city of Aligarh,” added Puri.

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Who has donated 1,265 kg of laddoo prasad?

The laddu prasad has been made by Sri Ram Catering Services in Hyderabad. Nagabhushanam Reddy, the owner of the catering services, shared details about the prasad and the story behind it.

“God has blessed my business and my family. I had pledged to prepare 1 kg of laddoo for each day till I am alive,” Nagabhushanam Reddy told ANI.

“I have brought a food certificate as well. These laddoos can last one month. 25 men prepared the laddoos for 3 days,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ayodhya has been decked up with saffron flags, huge cutouts of Lord Ram and posters bearing religious slogans like “Shubh Ghadi Aayi”, “Taiyar hai Ayodhya dham, virajenge Shree Ram”. In the vicinity of temples in the city, loudspeakers have been installed which are playing continuous chants of ‘Siya Ram’ and ‘Jai Siya Ram’.

Notably, seven-day rituals for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony began on January 16. The culmination of all rituals will happen with the installation of Lord Ram Lalla idol on January 22. Lakshmi Kant Dixit, a priest from Varanasi, will perform the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at 12.20pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present during the auspicious event.