'Jai Shri Ram' chants echo in Ayodhya as revered Shaligram stones arrive

Devotees lined up to get a glimpse and worship the Shaligram stones, which shall be used to construct the idols of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita to be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir being built in Ayodhya. The Shaligram stone, brought from Nepal to Uttar Pradesh via Bihar, is a special rock found only in the Gandaki river in Nepal and is regarded as a symbol of Lord Vishnu. 

As mentioned in the Ramayana, Sita was the daughter of Janaka Maharaja of Nepal. As the marriage of Lord Sri Rama and Mother Sita took place in Nepal, the stone for carving the idol was brought from Nepal. To note, before removing the Shaligram stones from the Gandak river, rituals offering formal apologies were undertaken on the banks of the river. After this, these boulders were loaded onto a truck. 

A 'Shaligram Yatra' was taken out from Janakpur's Jatahi border to Ayodhya, covering a distance of 125 km daily. It took 3-4 days for these stones to reach Ayodhya from Nepal. The Shaligram stones were given a grand reception in Ayodhya, with slogans of Jai Shri Ram echoing. Some showered flowers while others burst fireworks. The grand Ram Mandir is presently under construction and will be completed next year.