Ram lovers connect with Ramayana, visit Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary to see Neelkanth birds before Pran Pratishtha
Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha: Ram devotees visit various places for an 'auspicious darshan' of this bird as they believe it will bring them good luck.
Agra: With just a few hours to go before the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony was to begin, devotees in Agra thronged the Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary to see the Indian scroll birds, known as Neelkanth birds in the Ramayana. They believed that Lord Ram conquered Ravana's Lanka after seeing this bird.
According to a report by India Today, environmentalist and nature lover Devashish Bhattacharya said that the population of Neelkanth birds in Chambal has increased by about 4 percent.
Neelkanth birds and Ramayana connection
Another social worker Vijay Upadhyay said it is believed that before killing Ravana, Lord Ram touched the leaves of the 'Shami' tree and after seeing Neelkanth, conquered Lanka. They believe that the Neelkanth is considered to be the form of Lord Shiva.
To kill Ravana, Lord Ram was accused of killing a Brahmin, for which Lord Ram had made severe penance to Lord Shiva. That time Lord Shiva had appeared to Lord Ram in the form of Neelkanth. For this reason, Neelkanth is considered to be the form of Lord Shiva, said Vishal Sharma, vice-chairman of Hindustani Biradari.
Why enthusiasts consider Neelkanth birds as auspicious
As mentioned in the Hindu holy book, people visit various places of this bird for an 'auspicious darshan' and believe that it will bring them good luck.
It is to be noted that the Neelkanth birds, which are generally seen in tropical areas, are visible in large numbers in Chambal and surrounding areas, and their population is increasing.
However, the experts said that Neelkanth is often confused with the kingfisher (Alcedinidae) even though the two are morphologically very different. The neck of this bird is brown with white stripes, the head and belly are blue, while the primary feathers are light blue with purple-blue hues.
Today Pran Prathistha ceremony in Ayodhya
The development comes as the Pran Prathistha ceremony in Ayodhya will take place on Monday amid tight security. The historic ritual of 'Pran Pratistha' of Ram Lalla will take place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saints and a host of distinguished guests.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Sunday announced that the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony will be marked by a dazzling musical event titled 'Mangal Dhwani'. Shri Ram Lalla's 'Pran Pratishtha' at Ayodhya Temple will take place at 12.30 pm.
The central government announced on Thursday that all its offices will be closed for half a day on January 22.
Many states have announced a public holiday for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Tripura, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are among them. In Delhi, LG VK Saxena on Saturday approved closure of government offices and educational institutions for half a day till 2.30 pm on January 22.
The Uttar Pradesh government has tightened security in the city by setting up an emergency call center at number 112 in Lata Mangeshkar Chowk.