VARANASI: Amidst questions being raised over proposed consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol on January 22 inside an incomplete temple building at
Ayodhya
, Kashi’s astrology scholar Pt Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, who had decided muhurt for the foundation laying of
Ram Mandir
and also its consecration, clarified that consecration is going to take place as per the provisions prescribed in shastras and there is no ‘dosh (flaw)’ in it.
Talking to TOI, Dravid said, “Devmandir (temple of a deity) used to be devgriha (home of the deity). As per general practice, people enter a house on completion of the first floor after performing the rituals of Vastushanti. Remaining construction at upper floors continues after it. Same rule is applied in case of devmandir and it can’t be claimed that Vastu-Pravesh will take place only after completion of construction of full building.” Dravid gave his reply with full explanations and references from renowned Vedic scholar Annashastri Vare authored ‘Karmakand Pradeep’, Ishwarsamhita and Brihannardiya Purana against a question raised by Baban Laxmanrao Maske of Pune in Maharashtra.
Maske had asked whether consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in an incomplete temple and before the construction of its ‘shikhar’ (temple top) would be ‘shastra sammat’ (permissible as per provision prescribed in Shastras).
Dravid, who is ‘Parikshadhikari Mantri (secretary examination) of Shri Girvan Vagvardhini Sabha of Shri Vallabhram Shaligram Sangved Vidyalaya of Kashi, said, “By giving reference from those texts, I have explained the methods of consecration in both cases – with completion of temple building up to its shikhar and partially constructed building. In the case of a fully constructed temple building, the consecration of the idol is done with the installation of ‘kalash’ by a ‘sanyasi’ and not by a ‘grihasta’ (family man).”
“In case of incomplete temple building, the consecration of idol can be done after construction of roof, installation of doors, performing of rituals of Vastushanti, Bali (sacrifices) and Brahman-Bhojan (offering food to Brahmans) only,’ said Dravid, adding, “With the completion of temple building up to top following consecration of idol, the kalash pratishtha can be done by deciding ‘muhurt’ (auspicious time),” he further added.
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