VHP launches nationwide 'Akshat' distribution drive from Ayodhya

In anticipation of the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Ram Lalla, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) initiated the nationwide 'Akshat' (sacred rice) distribution campaign on Monday in Ayodhya.

Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, officially launched the campaign from the Matgajendra temple in Ayodhya's Ramkot area. The campaign, aimed at encouraging special puja ceremonies and Diwali celebrations on January 22, will continue until January 15, with Vedic rituals for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony beginning on January 16.

Around 100 VHP volunteers from 45 regions gathered in Ayodhya to receive five kg of sacred rice in metal pitchers. The sacred rice, distributed in line with the Ram temple movement's approach in the 1980s, was handed over to volunteers as a means to connect people across the country with the upcoming consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla.

The VHP's 'Akshat' distribution campaign aims to reach five lakh villages, serving as a formal invitation to people for their participation in the consecration ceremony. The campaign was approved by the board of trustees of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra in Ayodhya on October 7 last year. It is seen as a way to involve a larger audience in the event, considering the limited invitations for the ceremony itself.

In a statement, the Ram Mandir Trust cited that this campaign is part of the strategy to associate as many people as possible with the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla.