“It is the duty of Shankaracharyas to ensure that religious scriptures are properly followed. … The scriptures are being undermined by carrying out consecration before the construction of the temple is complete. There is no reason for this rush.” – Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Joshimath
All four Shankaracharyas—pontiffs of major Hindu maths—will not attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, Scroll has confirmed.
The Shankaracharyas head four shrines called peethams situated in Joshimath Jyotir Math in Uttarakhand, Dwarka Sharada Math in Gujarat, Puri Govardhan Math in Odisha and Sringeri Sharada Math in Karnataka. The shrines were founded by eighth-century religious scholar Adi Shankaracharya.
The heads of the Puri and Joshimath shrines have said that they will not attend the inauguration because religious scriptures were not being adhered to at the event.
In a video posted on his official X handle on January 9, Joshimath Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati said that none of the four pontiffs will be in Ayodhya on January 22 as the consecration was being done before the construction of the temple was completed.
“It is the duty of Shankaracharyas to ensure that religious scriptures are properly followed,” Avimukteshwaranand said. “The scriptures are being undermined by carrying out consecration before the construction of the temple is complete. There is no reason for this rush.”
Earlier, on January 4, the Shankaracharya of the Puri Math, Nischalananda Saraswati, had told reporters that he would skip the consecration ceremony as he was “conscious of the dignity of his position”.
“[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi will inaugurate the temple, he will touch the idol, then what am I supposed to do? Stand and clap?” the seer can be heard saying in a video that has been widely circulated on social media.
While the Shankaracharyas of Dwarka and Sringeri have issued statements saying they were not displeased with the consecration ceremony, administrative officials at both the shrines told Scroll that the seers will not be present in Ayodhya on January 22. The officials declined to cite any reason.
The Sringeri Shankaracharya, in the statement released on January 8, dismissed claims that he was displeased with the consecration as “false propaganda”. He urged all believers to participate in the ceremony.
Similarly, the Dwarka Shankaracharya also denied having made any statements about the ceremony.
In a recent interview to Hindi daily Amar Ujala, Champat Rai, the head of the Ram temple trust, said the temple belongs to the Vaishnavite Ramanandi Sampradaya of Hindus and not to ascetics belonging to the Shaiva and Shakta traditions. The four Shankaracharyas are part of the [Smarta Dashanami] tradition.
Avimukteshwaranand said that it was immoral of Rai to make the remarks since Hindus from all sects had donated money for the temple.
“If the temple belongs to the Ramanandi sect, why is Champat Rai heading the trust?” the seer questioned. “He should then hand over the temple to the Ramanandi sect before the consecration.”
The Ramanandi sect was founded by 14th-century Vaishnavite devotee Ramananda. The Vaishnavites worship the Hindu deity Vishnu, of whom Ram is believed to be an incarnation. Rai does not belong to the Ramanandi sect. – Scroll-In, 11 January 2024
› Abhik Deb is a senior reporter for Scroll Media in Noida, UP.
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Filed under: ayodhya, india | Tagged: narendra modi, ram temple ayodhya, ramanandi sampradaya, shankaracharyas, temple inauguration |
BHARATA BHARATI 
Kanchi Shankaracharya Participates In Yagashala Pujas At Ram Mandir In Ayodhya, Says All Devotees Will Receive Blessings – Nishtha Anushree – Swarajya – January 21, 2024
Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal, Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham participated in yagashala pujas at Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya on Sunday (21 January).
Speaking on the occasion, Kanchi Shankaracharya said, “Tomorrow pran pratishtha of Bal Ram Vigraha (idol) will take place. Knowers of all four vedas will conduct all rituals. A beautiful programme is planned.”
“With the anushthan (consecration) of yagashala, all bhakts (devotees) will get Lord Ram’s grace and blessings. I will pray for security and knowledge in the country. Siyavar Ramchandra ki jai,” he added.
This comes amid reservations expressed by Joshimath’s Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and Shankaracharya of Puri Nischalananda Saraswati about the pran pratishtha ceremony.
However, the Shankaracharyas of Kanchi and Sringeri affirmed their complete support for the event scheduled on 22 January in the holy city.
Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya said that the ceremony aligns with Hindu rituals and said that Modi, as a representative of the people of the country, had every right to perform the rituals as guided by priests.
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There is really no controversy over the four Shankaracharyas not attending the Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya on January 22nd.
Shankaracharyas belong to the Smarta Dashanami Sampradaya of Adi Shankara and do not attend the religious functions of other Hindu sampradayas. The Ramanandi Sampradaya, who belong to the temple and will function as its priests, will have their own acharyas to do the praṇa pratiṣṭha and other consecration rituals of the Sri Ram Lalla murti and mandir.
It is true that an incompletely constructed new temple should not be consecrated, but the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust members must have their own urgent and pressing needs for consecrating the temple on January 22nd.
The Shankaracharyas are reputed authorities on shastra and jyotisha and their opinions regarding the praṇa pratiṣṭha and kumbhabhishekam of a murti and ritual inauguration of a new temple should be taken seriously.
This aside, the Shankaracharyas have given their blessing for the new temple’s consecration.
According to newspaper reports, Prime Minister Modi will be the yajman for the Ram image prana pratishtha on January 22nd.
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