Freezing temperatures in Minnesota, US, did not deter devotees to participate in a 10-kilometer-long car rally, starting from Hamel Legion Park, Medina, to the Hindu Temple at Maple Grove this Saturday, January 20.
The devotional event celebrated the Ram temple consecration at Ayodhya, India on January 22.
The car rally began with a puja ceremony at Hamel Legion Park after which a long row of cars decorated with flags and flowers proceeded towards the Hindu temple. The temple serves over 40,000 Hindus in the Twin Cities area.
The devotees later participated in a bhajan kirtan program, followed by a vegetarian feast at the temple.
The consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya is a historic event for devotees, as they consider it the birthplace of King Ram, who is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
“For five hundred years, many people have worked hard for the Ram temple. We are delighted that our brothers and sisters in Minnesota participated at short notice and made this event successful,” Digvijay Shankar said while talking to media.
Organisers Digvijay Shankar and Satish Kumar added that the reason was to enable Indian Minnesotans to participate in the ongoing celebrations and contribute to Sanatan Sanskriti. The response was overwhelming, as the size of the car rally almost exceeded the city’s limits, prompting people to opt for carpooling.
“Events like this spread awareness about our culture, especially among young generations. This temple is a sign of revolution of Sanatan Dharma and will unite people irrespective of religious or cultural differences,” Satish Kumar said.
“I feel nostalgic about the inauguration because of my long association with the Ram Mandir movement as one of the Kar sevaks. This event holds a huge significance for me,” he added.
Sripad Devaraju of the Hindu Temple announced that a live telecast of the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla from Ayodhya is organised at the temple.
Other cultural events have been organised around the Twin Cities and the US to celebrate the Ram temple, a symbol of faith and devotion for Hindus globally.
Such events are an expression of joy and solidarity of Indians abroad, who have been instrumental in making the Ram temple consecration a global event.
