Hindus celebrate grand temple inauguration
The Hindu community in Blantyre yesterday organised a religious parade to celebrate the inauguration of the Grand Temple of Lord Rama, built at his birthplace in the holy city of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in India.
Hundreds of Hindu faithful celebrated the landmark ceremony by singing and dancing during the procession, which started from the Old Town Hall along the Victoria Avenue up to the Hindu Temple, Shree Hindu Seva Mandal next to Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre.
Hindu Community vice-chairperson Suresh Gandhi said they enjoyed the ceremony and they are happy that the Grand Temple of Lord Rama has been erected in India.
“As Hindus, we have waited for this moment for at least 500 years and we are happy,” he said.
The community’s member Satish Zala said the ceremony marks an era of happiness among the devotees.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the inauguration of the Hindu Temple (Ram Mandir) in that country today.
The Hindu Community in Malawi will have a replica of the launch in Blantyre tonight.
The temple, made of 600 000 cubic feet of pink sandstone and white marble at a cost of $180 million will be fully completed by the end of next year. It will be the country’s largest Hindu temple.
The weeklong consecration of the Ram temple began last Tuesday, marking the start of the ritual that will culminate in the inauguration of the temple by Modi tonight, when the idol of Ram will be enthroned at its sanctum-sanctorum.
