“No Need For Such Hurry, Against Scriptures”: Shankaracharyas On Inauguration Of Under Construction Ram Temple

As the Ram temple inauguration nears, comments from India’s four Shankaracharyas on the consecration ceremony have come to fore. The Shankaracharyas will not be attending the event on January 22. Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth in Uttarakhand refused to attend the ceremony citing that it is against Shastras to attend the event as the temple is “incomplete.”

Pointing out that there was no need for such hurry to the consecration of the temple as there was enough time for the completion of the construction of the Ram temple, Swami Avimukteshwaranand criticized the installation of the idols of Lord Ram without completing the construction of the temple, The Hindustan Times reported.

The most important Hindu religious gurus will not attend the consecration ceremony as it violates the rules of Sanatan Dharma, he further said to reporters as per The Telegraph.

Citing the reasons, the Swami suggests that it is not because of any hatred but the Shankaracharya’s duty to oblige the rituals of Shastras.

Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, Gowardhan Math, Puri, Odisha also said the event is against the scripture and hence will not participate in the ceremony.

Sadanand Saraswati, Dwarka Sharada Peetham, Gujarat and Sri Bharati Tirtha, however, said that they are willing to attend the ceremony. Sadanand Saraswati puts conditions that the consecrations should be according to the religious tradition.

Only the first floor and the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple are ready for the inauguration as the rest of the construction works will be completed over the next two years, according to the temple trust.

However, the Congress party has slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Shankaracharya not attending the ceremony on the religious traditional ground, saying that the BJP is hurrying to inaugurate the Ram Temple due to the impending general election.