Canadian chapter of VHP to hold event to mark consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya

Toronto: The Canadian chapter of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will undertake an ambitious rath yatra, traversing over 151 Hindu temples in the country and covering nearly 13,000 kilometres, to mark the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year.
The journey will begin from the Vishnu Mandir in Markham in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on Monday and will encompass every province in the country over a period of nearly two months, VHP Canada’s general secretary Manish Puri said.
The yatra is being organised along with the VHP unit in the United States, and in total, will cover over a thousand temples in North America.
“The journey will offer an opportunity for all Hindus who have not been able to visit Ayodhya recently to experience the divine presence of Shri Ram Mandir across all major cities and mandirs in North America,” Puri said, adding that the objective will also be to “spread the values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (The World is One Family), integral to the Hindu religion, and share messages of Shri Ram Bhakti – inclusion, diversity, and pluralism.”
The rath will be a decorated SUV, which will also feature a 14-inch replica of the murti or idol placed in the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
“This will offer an opportunity to Hindus across the country to receive akshat and prasad from the Ayodhya mandir and get the divine experience of Shri Ram Mandir across all major cities and temples in Canada,” Puri added. Akshat is the whole rice grain that is used in rites, and along with the prasad have already been sourced from Ayodhya and are in dry form so they are non-perishable.
While there has been criticism in Canadian media over the Ram Mandir because of the controversial demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, Puri said much of that featured “misleading” or “inaccurate” information. However, the objective of the yatra is positive and organisers will welcome Canadians from all communities who wish to participate. However, there is a threat perception so precautions are being taken, as Puri said, “We are informing local law enforcement, requesting partner mandirs to ensure adequate security, if needed. We are looking forward to a celebration that will bring people of all communities together.”
VHP Canada collaborated with temples across the country for weeks ahead of the pran pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, and put together over 115 celebratory events.