Ram Navami Festival Inaugurated at Bal Mandir Akhara in Sakchi, Jamshedpur

Raghubar Das Attends Opening; Grand Maha Aarti Set for Wednesday at Jhanda Chowk

Key Points:

• Former CM Raghubar Das inaugurates Bal Mandir’s 51st Ram Navami celebration in Sakchi
• Ayodhya Ram Mandir replica and illuminations draw large crowds to Jhanda Chowk
• Grand Maha Aarti with Varanasi priests planned for Wednesday, March 25

JAMSHEDPUR — The Shri Shri Bal Mandir, a prominent social and religious organisation in the city, launched its Ram Navami Mahotsav with the inauguration of a grand pandal at Jhanda Chowk in Sakchi on Tuesday.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and former Governor of Odisha, Raghubar Das, attended the event as the chief guest. He was welcomed by committee members who presented him with a turban, a bouquet of flowers, and a ceremonial sword.

Several dignitaries were also present on the occasion. These included RSS Mahanagar Karyavah Ravindra Ji, BJP former district president Gunjan Yadav, Kendra Ramnavami Akhara president Arun Singh, BJP district president Sanjeev Sinha, and social workers Santosh Aggarwal, Pawan Aggarwal, and Chandrashekhar Mishra. The programme was presided over by Suman Aggarwal and conducted by Sunny Sanghi.

Das offered prayers at the Shri Ram Darbar set up at the venue and sought blessings. He greeted all residents of Jharkhand on the occasion of Ram Navami.

“The sole purpose of Lord Shri Ram’s life was to destroy unrighteousness and establish dharma,” he said, “so that a welfare-oriented society could be built.”

He noted that Ram Navami holds a place of deep importance in Hindu civilisation and culture. Moreover, he expressed pride at being part of the Bal Mandir’s 51st year of celebrations. “I have been associated with this akhara since childhood,” he added.

This year, the organising committee has decorated the entire Sakchi area to resemble Ayodhya. A full-scale replica of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir has been installed at Jhanda Chowk. An elaborate illumination display has become a major attraction for the large number of devotees visiting the site.

The event has drawn considerable footfall from across Jamshedpur. Devotees have been visiting through the day and evening to view the replica and the lighting arrangements.

On Wednesday, March 25, a grand Deepotsav and Maha Aarti of Lord Shri Ram is planned at the same venue. Local artists will create a portrait of Lord Ram through rangoli at the heart of Sakchi Bazar’s Jhanda Chowk. The Maha Aarti will be conducted by priests from Varanasi — in the tradition of the famous Ganga Aarti held there. Sunny Sanghi has extended an invitation to all Ram devotees of Jamshedpur to attend the event.

Among the dedicated members who contributed to the success of the Ram Navami celebrations are Suman Aggarwal, Nirmal Jaluka, Amit Aggarwal, Sunny Sanghi, Ankit Modi, Abhishek Aggarwal, Ankit Aggarwal, Gaurav Aggarwal, Rinku Jaluka, Satish Sharma, Krishna Aggarwal, Saurav Aggarwal, Bajrang Aggarwal, Naresh Sanghi, Pranay Gupta, Omprakash Aggarwal, Suresh Khemka, Rahul Chaudhary, Anshul Ringasia, Saurav Kumar, Abhimanyu Singh, Purushottam Joshi, Rishabh Aggarwal, Laxmikant Khirwal, Sambhu Chaudhary, Bajrang Lal Aggarwal, and Bablu Aggarwal.