KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 2
Stones collected from the Kalingandaki River to be used for building an idol of Hindu lord Ram to be placed in the under-construction temple of Sri Ram in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh of India have been handed to the Indian side.
The black-colored Shaligram stones extracted from the River are mythically considered sacred.
The objects were handed over to the Indian side amidst a special ceremony at the temple construction site Ramsewakpur today.
Ram Janaki Temple Janakpurdham's Mahantha (priest) Ramtapeshwor Das handed over the stones to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Trust general secretary Champat Ray. The two huge stones were transported on lorry trucks from Nepal to India.
Receiving the gifts, general secretary Ray said the relations between Janakpur and Ayodhya was indescribable and the moment would add a dimension to this relations.
Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi said the Nepalis are proud to visit the birthplace of Ram and get an opportunity to hand over the stones for the construction of his idol.
The rocks were extracted on January 26 from the bank of Kaligandai river at Thulo Pahiro-6 of Beni municipality-6 in Myagdi. It will be placed in the sanctorum of the temple. The temple construction project is expected to be by January, 2024.
