What PM Modi May Do in Anushthan Before Ayodhya Visit: Sleep on Floor, Jaap, Satvic Food

Sleeping on the floor if possible, waking up early to pray to God, doing jaap and meditation, exercise calm, staying silent for some part of a day, eating little and only satvic food, reading religious scriptures, maintaining cleanliness and doing one’s own work – saints and seers told News18 that all can be part of an anushthan in Hindu traditions before a holy ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi may follow many of these things over the next 11 days before the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. He may also go to various places associated closely with Lord Ram as the anushthan rituals are about connecting as deeply with the God as one can.

The Prime Minister started his anushthan by praying at Shree Kala Ram Mandir situated along the banks of Godavari in the Panchavati area of Nashik on Friday, a temple which has great importance in the life of Lord Ram. The PM was seen participating in the bhajans being sung there by priests and hearing epic narrative of the Ramayana, specifically the ‘Yudh Kanda’ segment, which depicts Rama’s return to Ayodhya. He took part in a cleanliness campaign at the temple as part of a campaign as well.

Sources said the PM already has meditation and prayers, as well as a limited vegetarian diet as part of his routine, and he would follow it even more strictly as part of the 11-day long anushthan. “One can sleep on the floor, if that is possible, during the anushthan. One should wake up before sunrise, have a bath and sit in meditation and jaap by lighting a lamp before the God. An anushthan also involves eating the bare minimum, one satvic meal at most, and mostly eat fruits. One must remain calm in the period. The idea is to devote oneself to the God and purify oneself before a ceremony like pran pratishtha of Lord Ram,” Mahant Naval Kishore Das told News18.

Swami Dipankar told News18 that one can also remain silent for some part of the day during the anushthan and do Sunderkand path as well as do jaap of Lord Ram. “A yagna can also be done and one must sleep and sit in a particular manner during the anushthan – there are rules and rituals as part of the same. Many people have taken the sankalp of an anushthan,” Mahant Dharam Das said.

Swami Dipankar also said that one must not cut one’s hair or nails during the anushthan period.

WHY PM IS IN PANCHAVATI?

Panchavati occupies a special place as a number of important events of Ramayana took place here as Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman Ji spent a few years in the Dandakaranya forest, which is situated in the Panchavati region. The name Panchavati means the land of five banyan trees.

The legend is that Lord Ram set up his hut here as the presence of five banyan trees made this region auspicious. There are many such places in India, which are closely connected with Lord Ram and his time spent in exile and the possibility of PM Modi visiting a few of them before January 22 is being explored.