175 on guest list for bhoomi pujan

AYODHYA: In all, 175 guests have been invited for Ram temple bhoomi pujan to be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. In a press statement, Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, said that 135 of these invitees are saints from 36 spiritual traditions of India and Nepal.
"Shri Mahesh Bhagchandka & Shri Pawan Singhal from family of Shri Ashok ji Singhal will be Mukhya Yajman (main worshippers) in Bhumi Pujan. PM Shri @narendramodi, Shri Mohanji Bhagwat, Pujya Nritya Gopaldasji Maharaj, Governor Smt Anandiben Patel and CM Shri @myogiadityanath will be present on stage," the trust said in a tweet. "Some eminent citizens of Ayodhya have also been invited," it said.
"There are certain practical difficulties in the arrival of some guests due to the Corona pandemic. Arrival of people who are aged above 90 years is not appropriate under present circumstances. Pujya Shankaracharya ji & many Pujya Sant have expressed inability to attend due to Chaturmas," Rai's statement said.
"Sacred soil from more than 2000 teerth sthan and water from more than 100 rivers has been brought to Ayodhya for Bhoomi Pujan. Pujya Shankaracharya and Sants have sent many auspicious materials for Bhoomi Pujan," he said.
All invitees will be in Ayodhya by Tuesday evening. “Many have already arrived, including VHP leader Dinesh Chand, mahants from different monastic orders of Haridwar. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi among others are expected to arrive on Tuesday,” he said.
Rai also said it was “unfathomable” that some people were “influenced by green clothes”. It’s not a matter pertaining to PMO, CM or the Trust. The priest has been deciding the colour of clothes as per the day. He does not make changes under anyone’s influence, he said.
Earlier, Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the makeshift temple on Sunday had stated that the idol of Ram Lalla will dress as per the day's significance. “For Monday, it would be white, for Tuesday it would be red and for Wednesday it would be green clothes. We have also kept an option of yellow and saffron too,” he had said.