Pran Pratishtha: Hyderabadi businessman gifts Gaja Mala of pearls to Ram Lalla

Hyderabad: Just a few hours before the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of 'Ram Lalla' at the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya, people from across the country have made their efforts to offer various gifts to the deity.

From Lord Ram image-adorned bangles to 56 varieties of "petha" and from traditional items like a 500-kg iron-copper "nagada" and the "Onavillu" bow to offerings of rice, ladoos, and vegetables, a diverse array of gifts have arrived from across the country. One such gift was sent by a Hyderabadi pearls business owner who sent Gaja Mala (garland) made of pearls.

The new 51-inch idol, carved by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj in black stone is the child Ram, is in the standing posture. A unique addition to enhance its beauty is an 8-feet pearls gaja mala, weighing 3 kg 600 grams, crafted by Hyderabad-based businessman Venkat Das, who owns Praval Pearls N Gems.

With 30 years of establishment, Venkat Das is thrilled to send this Gaja Mala to Ayodhya. Notably, the gaja mala, made with freshwater pearls sourced from Mumbai, is a one-of-a-kind creation. Nine artists from Hyderabad dedicated nine days to craft this exquisite piece.

Emphasizing the significance of the lightweight aspect for the 5-year-old child Rama in Ayodhya, Venkat Das ensured the Gaja mala's support with cloth and sponge. Additionally, he incorporated sandalwood powder to impart a fragrant touch whenever the garland adorns Rama.

Also featured in the gifts are special perfumes from Kannauj, 500-kg "kumkum" leaves from Amravati, grains collected at a Ram temple in Delhi, flowers from Bhopal, and papers with Lord Ram written 4.31 crore times from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara.

Other offerings include a 108-foot incense stick, a 2,100-kg bell, a giant lamp weighing 1,100 kg, gold footwear, a 10-foot-high lock and key, and a clock that simultaneously denotes time in eight countries. More than 3,000 gifts from Goddess Sita's birthplace in Nepal's Janakpur have also arrived. A Sri Lankan delegation brought a special gift from Ashok Vatika, a garden mentioned in the Ramayana.