"Eyes of Ram Lalla cannot be revealed before Pran Pratishtha": Acharya Satyendra Das

The Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple states that the eyes of the Ram Lalla idol cannot be revealed before the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on Jan. 22.

Acharya Satyendra Das, the Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, said on January 20 that the eyes of the Ram Lalla idol cannot be revealed before the 'Pran Pratishtha'. The 'Pran Praishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla will take place on Jan. 22. A team of priests led by Lakshami Kant Dixit will lead the rituals and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to take part in the rituals.

The idol of the lord, sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, was placed inside the Sanctum Santorum of the temple on Jan. 19. The first photos showed the idol was covered with a veil. However, pictures of the Ram Lalla idol with 'naked' eyes surfaced on the internet.

Video: Take a look at Ram Lalla’s idol inside Ayodhya Ram Temple’s sanctum sanctorum

Speaking to ANI, Acharya Satyendra Das said, "The eyes of Lord Ram's idol cannot be revealed before Pran Pratishtha is completed. The idol where the eyes of Lord Ram can be seen is not the real idol. If the eyes can be seen, an investigation should be done on who revealed the eyes and how the pictures of the idol are going viral."

"All the procedures will be carried out as usual. However, the eyes of Ram Lalla will not be revealed until the 'Pran Pratishtha'," he added.

He also spoke about the procedures for carrying the idol of Shri Ram Lalla from the tent it is in currently to the temple. "It will be established in the Sanctum Santorum of the temple, where the new idol will be installed. There is also no auspicious timing for this. An auspicious timing is predicted when something new has to be done. This is a procedure," he added.

He said, "The question is who will carry the idol to the temple. Earlier, the Chief Minister carried the idol from the tent to the temporarily built temple. CM Yogi Adityanath may himself carry the idol to the temple."