The final schedule of programmes to be held to mark the first anniversary of the new Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is a mix of religious discourses, and musical and dance performances, in addition to pujas.
A three-day ‘Shri Ram raag sewa’ has been planned by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in which artists will offer their arts to the deity in the form of sewa at the mandapam built near the sanctum sanctorum. This is part of Navdha Bhakti – devotion which can be offered in nine forms to gods.
These forms include listening to stories of the gods, singing hymns and devotional songs, remembering god, offering one’s wealth to him, self-surrender and an acceptance of God as one’s friend.
On January 11, Usha Mangeshkar and Mayuresh Pai will kick off the celebrations by singing hymns. It will be followed by a jugalbandi of the sitar and violin by Sahitya Nahar and Santosh Nahar, both belonging to the Banaras Gharana. Then Ananda Shankar, one of India’s best-known classical dancers, will perform Bharatnatyam.
January 12 will see folk song performances by Shailesh Srivastava, Ram bhajans by Kalapani Komkali, and then a flute recital by Grammy award winner Rakesh Chaurasia.
On the final day, January 13, a kathak performance by Shovana Narayan is one of the highlights. Later in the day, the Trichur brothers—Srikrishna Mohan and Ramkumar Mohan—will perform in the Carnatic style.
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Besides these special performances, there will also be a staging of the Ram Leela, performances by Anuradha Paudwal and poet Kumar Vishwas, and recitations of the Ram Charit Manas.
The celebration will kick off with a recitation of chapter 40 of the Rig Ved and 1,975 offerings to the holy fire. The Shri Ram mantra will also be chanted 6.6 lakh times besides readings of the Hanuman Chalisa, and the Aditya Hriday Stotra (dedicated to the Sun god).
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be present on the first day of the celebrations, during a discourse on the life of Ram.