NEW DELHI: With just days to go for the Ram Mandir consecration event on January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fuelling the nation’s anticipation by visiting historic temples in South India.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister visited the historic Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh, which has immense significance in Ramayana with its Jatayu episode.
During his visit, PM Modi offered special prayers at the temple, which is located in Sri Satyasai district.
He chanted songs in praise of Lord Ram, listened to special hymns sung in Telugu extolling the deity, and also witnessed a puppet show on the epic Ramayana featuring Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Ravana, according to live visuals streamed on an official Youtube channel.
What’s the temple’s link with Ramayana?
According to the ancient scriptures, the bird king Jatayu, who bravely fought with the Ravana to rescue Goddess Sita after she was abducted, fell down at Lepakshi after his wings were clipped off by the demon king.
When Lord Rama found Jatayu in a helpless state here, he exclaimed “Le-Pakshi” which in Telugu means “Oh Bird…Arise”.
The dying Jatayu told Lord Ram that Sita was indeed taken south by Ravana, and was then granted Moksha (salvation) by him.
That is how place came to be known as “Lepakshi”.
The ancient Lepakshi temple and the monolithic gigantic Nandi statue found here were added to the Unesco’s tentative list of world heritage sites in India in 2022.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister visited the historic Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh, which has immense significance in Ramayana with its Jatayu episode.
During his visit, PM Modi offered special prayers at the temple, which is located in Sri Satyasai district.
He chanted songs in praise of Lord Ram, listened to special hymns sung in Telugu extolling the deity, and also witnessed a puppet show on the epic Ramayana featuring Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Ravana, according to live visuals streamed on an official Youtube channel.
What’s the temple’s link with Ramayana?
According to the ancient scriptures, the bird king Jatayu, who bravely fought with the Ravana to rescue Goddess Sita after she was abducted, fell down at Lepakshi after his wings were clipped off by the demon king.
When Lord Rama found Jatayu in a helpless state here, he exclaimed “Le-Pakshi” which in Telugu means “Oh Bird…Arise”.
The dying Jatayu told Lord Ram that Sita was indeed taken south by Ravana, and was then granted Moksha (salvation) by him.
That is how place came to be known as “Lepakshi”.
The ancient Lepakshi temple and the monolithic gigantic Nandi statue found here were added to the Unesco’s tentative list of world heritage sites in India in 2022.
With the Prime Minister’s visit, locals now hope that it will soon get the world heritage site tag.
In the lead up to the Ram Mandir inauguration event, PM Modi has been visiting temples across the country.
Before Lepakshi, PM Modi had visited Shree Kala Ram temple in Nashik in Maharashtra.
A few days ago, he had visited Panchvati on the banks of the Godavari river in Nashik.
He offered prayers at the Kala Ram Mandir and listened to the Marathi verses about “Ayodhya aagman” (arrival in Ayodhya) of Lord Ram from Ramayan.
Watch PM Narendra Modi performs Pooja & Darshan at Veerbhadra temple in Puttaparthi