All 13 Mahants of Nirmohi Akhara invited to Ram Temple consecration ceremony

All 13 Mahants of the Nirmohi Akhara, a key petitioner in the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid dispute, have been invited by Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra to the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony at newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Mahant Dinendra Das, Sarpanch Mahant Raja Ramchandrachraya, Sarpanch Mahant Narsingh Das, Panch Mahant Ghanshyam Das, Panch Mahant Samrat Das, Panch Sitaram Das, Panch Madan Mohan Das, Panch Mahant Ramswaroop Das, Mahant Jagdish Das, Mahant Radhe Radhe, Mahant Ram Manohar Das, Mahant Bhagwan Das (Sringari) and Mahant Ram Sewak Das have been invited.

Clarifying on allegations that Nirmohi Akhara is not invited to the ceremony, temple trust member and Nirmohi Akhara Mahant Dinendra Das assured that, "Every 'Mahatma' and political leader is being invited on behalf of our trust... There are 13 'panch' in the Akhara currently. All of them have been invited. Other saints of the Akhara have also been invited. Everyone is coming too."

Family members of Dalit icons BR Ambedkar, Jagjivan Ram, Kanshi Ram and other "prominent people" belonging to the scheduled castes have been invited to the January 22 event. Families of "karsevaks", who died during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, are also expected to attend. Celebrities, farmers, labourers and thousands of seers from across the country are among those invited.

Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of the host state Uttar Pradesh, is the only CM who has been invited to the ceremony which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have declined the invite saying that the BJP and RSS have turned it into a political event.

Pre-Praan Pratishtha sacraments have already begun in Ayodhya in the run up to the big event on January 22. The idol of lord Ram is expected to be around 150-200 kgs and will be placed at its position in the 'Garbh Griha' of the temple on January 18.