Nayagarh: Amid the massive consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya, another grand temple dedicated to ‘Maryada Purushottam’ was inaugurated in Odisha’s Nayagarh district amid spiritual fervor, coinciding with the opening of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The temple situated on a picturesque hilltop at Fategarh village in Nayagarh district was dedicated to devotees with the installation of Ram Lala idol in the presence of around a hundred saints and thousands of devotees.
The 165 feet shrine has been constructed in style of Ganjam’s Tara Tarini temple. Around 150 craftsmen and masons were engaged in the construction of the mega religious structure for over five years. Amid lush greenery, the temple located atop a hill was constructed using only ‘Baulamala’ stones.
With the cooperation of the local villagers and the efforts of Shri Ram Seva Parishad President Benudhar Pradhan, the temple completion has become possible, devotees said.
The idea of the temple has a spiritual significance. According to local residents, farmers and villagers used to worship Giri Govardhan on the hill to invoke rain God. Later, a person of the village had a dream to build Sri Ram Temple on the hill. Villagers and Shri Ram Seva Parishad had designed the construction of a grand Ram temple.
The temple situated at a height of 1,600 feet was consecrated amid vedic rituals and Ram dhun. The air was filled with the chanting of ‘Jai Sriram’ by the devotees.
“We can’t visit Ayodhya today to witness the Pran Pratistha of Ram Lala. But, we feel the spirit of the ceremony held at Aydhya here. I am feeling very blessed after having darshan of Ram Lala here today,” said a devotee.
“The temple at Fategarh gives us a feeling of Ayodhya as the Pran Pratistha ceremony was held at both places today. Amid calm, quite environment, the temple consecration today stole the show,” said a woman devotee.
The natural environment on top of the hills with floral decorations doubles the beauty of shrine. Locals termed the place as the second Ayodhya.
As per schedule, the ‘Prana Pratistha’ ritual was performed by the ceremonial Vedic priests at 1.45 p.m. A Heavy congregation of devotees from in and outside the district witnessed the mega event.
