Bengaluru: Karnataka celebrated the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, with most villages, towns and cities turning into a sea of saffron with flags, posters, and banners adorning Hindu shrines roundabouts and atop commercial establishment. Many business establishments decorated their stares and premises and offered ‘ prasad’ to visitors. Mysuru, whose proud son Arun Yogiraj sculpted the Ram Lalla statue from black stone, too joined in the celebration with ace sculptors’ family becoming the focus of all attention. Arun Yogiraj said he considers himself the luckiest person on earth and believes that it Lord Ram who choose him for the auspicious task. He said, “I spent sleepless nights working on the idol with precision but it was all worth it. I feel I am the luckiest person on earth and today is the best day of my life..”
Although the state government did not declare a holiday, the spirit of the occasion radiated across the state. Bengaluru was no exception as lakhs of residents took to the streets to celebrate this momentous occasion, even though it was not public holiday. People decorated their houses and workplaces, greeting the each other with chants of “Jai Shri Ram”, the tribute to Lord Ram by bengalureans were steeped in cultural harmony and spirit of unity. Former prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and his son, HD Kumaraswamy represented Karnataka’s political fraternity at the Consecration ceremony and they were the only politicians from Karnataka at the event.
The Kindergarten section of many schools children’s dressed up in consumes was dotted with little Ramas and Sitas. School authorities said “They dressed like that voluntarily. There were no instructions, the excitement was uncontrollable”.
Ruling Karnataka Congress Marks consecration with rituals and Zeal, saying they are Ram Bhakts too. Congress functioneraries celebrated the consecration ceremony in their own ways. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and host of senior minister in his cabinet marked the occasion by participating in the inauguration of temple dedicated to Lord Ram in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru. Siddaramiah, while unveiling a 33 –foot monolith state of Hanuman, emphasised that the gesture was not intended as counter to the Ayodhya inauguration but rather a symbolic action to affirm the party’s respect for religion and worship. Siddaramiah said, “Shri Ram should not be confined to any political party, we deny the narrative that we are against Sri Ram. We are also devoted to Lord Ram”, he added.
