Maharashtra devotees offer giant 7-foot sword, weighing 80 kg to Ram Lalla

The present highlights the deep devotion and reverence held for Lord Ram Lalla by his followers and the connection between Ayodhya and its followers across India.

One of the devotees who had come with the sword, Nilesh Arun Sakar, said, "I have come from Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra and I am a collector of historical weapons. I have held exhibitions of my weapons at many places. Today I brought a Khadag (sword) similar to the Nandak Khadag (sword of Lord Vishnu) to dedicate it to Lord Ram. The special feature of this sword is that it weighs 80 kg and is 7 feet 3 inches long."

Further speaking about the details of the sword, he said, "If you will look closely, you will find that the Khadak has been made with a dedication to Lord Vishnu Narayan and all his '' Dashavatara'' have been incorporated into this. The blade of the sword is made of steel and the handle is made of brass with a gold covering on it."

Dashavatara refers to the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation. The word Dashavatara derives from dasa, meaning ''ten'' and avatar (avatara), meaning ''descent''. Thus, Vishnu is said to descend in the form of an avatar to restore cosmic order.

These avatars have played a major role in shaping human evolution through the centuries. God Vishnu incarnates on Earth from time to time to eradicate evil forces, restore the dharma and liberate the worthy ones or devotees from the cycle of births and deaths.

He further said that it took him one and a half months to make this sword dedicated to Lord Ram.

Meanwhile, on the second day, on Wednesday, after the ''Pran Pratishtha'' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla, Ayodhya witnessed a massive gathering of devotees. Braving severe cold coupled with fog, people have stood in long queues around Rampath and the temple premises since morning.

Devotees of all ages fervently kept chanting "Jai Shri Ram" on the streets of Ayodhya.

The consecration of Shri Ram Lalla has significantly boosted the number of visitors, turning Ayodhya into a focal point of pilgrimage. Over 5 lakh people embraced the opportunity for darshan on the first day after the Pran Pratistha ceremony.

The Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple in Ayodhya was held on Monday. The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony.

The event saw the participation of about 8,000 invitees, including 1,500-1,600 eminent guests.

The ''Ram Nagri'' Ayodhya also grabbed global eyeballs, with earthen lamps or diyas lit up on a massive scale and crackers going up and dazzling the night sky in different parts of the city. Visuals also showed celebrations unfolding at the famous Saryu Ghat, with beaming locals expressing their devotion to Ram Lalla. (ANI)