Ayodhya: Fifty traditional musical instruments from across the country were part of a devotional “Mangal Dhwani” that resonated during the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday.Orchestrated by Ayodhya’s celebrated poet Yatindra Mishra, the grand musical rendition was supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.The instruments included pakhawaj, flute and dholak from Uttar Pradesh, veena from Karnataka, algoja from Punjab, sundari from Maharashtra, mardala from Odisha; santoor from Madhya Pradesh, pung from Manipur, nagada and kali from Assam; and tambura from Chhattisgarh.There was also shehnai from Delhi, ravanahatha from Rajasthan, shrikhol and sarod from West Bengal, ghatam from Andhra Pradesh, sitar from Jharkhand, santar from Gujarat, pakhawaj from Bihar, hudka from Uttarakhand and nagaswaram, tavil and mridangam from Tamil Nadu.Ahead of the “Mangal Dhwani” rendition, there were musical performances by Sonu Nigam, Anuradha Paudwal, and Shankar Mahadevan who sang songs dedicated to Lord Ram.”Immersed in devotion, the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya was graced by the majestic ‘Mangal Dhwani’. With 50 exquisite instruments from different states came together for this auspicious occasion.”This magnificent musical programme represents a momentous occasion for every Indian, bringing together diverse traditions in celebration and honour of Shri Ram,” a member of the temple trust said.The much-awaited consecration at the Ram temple was held in a grand ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals. The shrine will be opened to the public a day later.The invitees were immersed in a devotional rendition during the aarti too where they rang worship bells provided to them as Army helicopters showered flower petals over the temple premises and other parts of the street.The streets of Ayodhya are filled with strains of songs such as ‘Ram Aayenge’ and ‘Awadh Mein Ram Aayen Hain’ as saffron flags fly on buildings in the temple town revamped for the big day.Music has found another significant place in the heart of temple town as an iconic roundabout named after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has of late turned into a major hotspot for residents and tourists seeking the perfect selfie. A giant ornate veena sculpture weighing 14 tonnes is placed at the centre of the roundabout.The Lata Mangeshkar Chowk marks the intersection of Ram Path and Dharm Path, both beautifully bedecked with ornamental lamp posts ahead of the consecration ceremony.The entire temple town is in the grip of religious fervour as the ancient ‘Ayodhya Nagari’ has been tastefully decorated, especially the Ram Path and Dharm Path, the two street showpieces of what the government terms the ‘Navya, Divya and Bhavya Ayodhya’.While the temple town is expected to dazzle on the day of ‘pran pratishtha’, many households, temples and other buildings have already been lit up.From Nihang Singhs to ISKCON and temple trusts from across the country to locals in Ayodhya, various community kitchens are being run here to serve ‘langar’ food to devotees as the consecration nears.Devotees flocking to the holy city can savour freshly cooked hot meals and tea at these community kitchens which are operational across the city.
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