Puri Shankaracharya on skipping Ram temple event: ‘Upholding tradition, not ego’

New Delhi: With just a week to go for the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’, or consecration, of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, a controversy has engulfed the event due to the decision of the four Shankaracharyas to stay away. This unexpected turn has created ripples across the political and religious landscapes, throwing a wrench into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s plans for a mega-religious spectacle.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the religious consecration ceremony at Ram Temple just months ahead of this year’s Lok Sabha elections. Nearly 10,000 special guests along with 100 international invitees are expected to attend the ceremony. The main opposition party Congress and other constituents of the INDIA bloc have declined the invitation, describing the ceremony as a BJP-RSS event.

Refuting claims of ego, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj clarified that the Shankaracharyas are upholding their own dignity and tradition by skipping the event. He stated, “Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the Prime Minister installs the idol of Ram Lalla? The presence of a ‘secular’ government does not imply the obliteration of tradition.” He cited their decision as rooted in the perceived deviation from Hindu scriptures during the idol’s installation.

All four Shankaracharyas, revered heads of major Hindu shrines, seem to share this sentiment.

Reports have pointed out that all four Shankaracharyas – pontiffs of major Hindu shrines – have decided not to attend the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The heads of the four shrines (peeths) Joshimath in Uttarakhand, Dwarka in Gujarat, Puri in Odisha and Sringeri in Karnataka—claimed that the inauguration event was being held against the shastras or sacred Hindu scriptures.

While Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Joshimath voiced strong disapproval, calling the rushed ceremony an undermining of religious principles, the Sringeri Shankaracharya offered a different perspective. He advised devotees to chant Lord Rama’s name as a “Taraka Mantra,” seemingly endorsing the event albeit indirectly.

The remaining Shankaracharyas from Sharda Peeths in Karnataka and Gujarat have maintained silence, adding to the uncertainty surrounding their possible attendance.

This stance from the highest Hindu religious authorities has provided ammunition for the Opposition to criticise the BJP’s extensive promotional campaigns.

The Shankaracharyas, representing four sects founded by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century and leading four peethas across India, hold immense authority in interpreting Hindu scriptures. Their decision carries significant weight and challenges the BJP’s narrative surrounding the event.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Narayan Rane had to face ire after he criticised the Shankaracharyas, saying they should bless the Ram temple instead of criticising some aspects. Rane had told mediapersons “No one could do it until now. Modi and BJP took it up and a temple is being built. Should they bless the temple or criticise it? It means Shankaracharyas look at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP through a political prism. This temple is not built on politics but on religion. Ram is our God. Shankaracharyas should tell what is their contribution to the Hindu religion.”