Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Feb 4: Huge wooden logs that are meant to be used to sculpt and build an 84-ft high chariot for the proposed Ram Mandir being built at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, arrived at Koteshwar near here from Warangal in Andhra Pradesh on the evening of Wednesday February 2. The chariot will be built at Kumbashi center of Sri Vishwakarma School of Handicrafts and Sculpture, Koteshwar.

As soon as Sri Govindananda Saraswathi Swamiji of Kishkinda, the birthplace of Hanuman, reached Koteshwar along with a huge multi axle vehicle carrying the huge teakwood logs, the temple management, renovation committee, Brahmakalashotsava committee and villagers extended a devotional welcome by chanting 'Hara Hara Mahadev' slogans.

Tantry of Kotilingeshwara temple, Prasannakumar Aithal, offered puja to the vehicle and broke the coconut. In his benedictory address delivered on the occasion, Sri Govindananda Saraswati Swamiji said that the chariot is being made at the instance of the Lord to re-establish the divine connections between Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram and Kishkinda, where Hanuman was born. He said that the chariot will be 84 feet high to represent 84 lac life forms which depend on the Lord. He said that when the vehicle reached Sringeri, the Swamiji there had offered puja and given his blessings.

President of Kotiligeshwara temple management committee, M Prabhakar Shetty, offered fruits to the Swamiji. Renovation committee president Koni Krishnadev Karanth, gave details about the renovation plan in progress. Executive officer Ganesh Gowda, members Chandrika Dhanya, Suresh Sheregar and others, renovation committee secretary Prabhakar Kumbhashi, sculptors Laxminarayan Acharya, Rajagopal Acharya, Prshanth Kini and others were present.

On the way, Pandurang Jogi, priest of Sri Mahadevi Mariyamma temple on the car street offered puja to the lorry when it reached the temple on its way.