The idol of Ramlala will be consecrated on January 22 in the grand Ram temple built on 70 acres of land in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Ayodhya, preparations for which are going on in full swing. Lord Ram, considered to be the seventh incarnation of Shri Vishnu, is worshiped with great faith and belief not only in his birthplace Ayodhya, but also all over the world. He is adored all over the world. According to the story of Ram, wherever Lord Ram went during his exile, great places of pilgrimage became there. Let us know about the major Ram temples of the country and the world.
Kalaram Temple, Nashik, Maharashtra
Kalaram Temple is located in the Panchvati area of Nashik, Maharashtra, which literally means Black Ram. This temple is a big center of faith of Ram devotees. This is one of the finest modern temples of Lord Rama in Western India. Every day thousands of devotees come here for worship. In this temple, an approximately 2 feet high statue of Lord Ram made of black stones is installed. Besides, statues of Mother Sita and Lakshman are also installed. It is believed that during the 14 years of exile, Lord Rama stayed here for a few days with his wife, mother Sita and brother Lakshman.
Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple
Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple, also known as Bhadrachalam Temple, is a major temple dedicated to Lord Rama located on the banks of the Godavari River in South India. It is in Bhadrachalam town of Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana. It is also called ‘Ayodhya of the South’. This holy place attracts millions of devotees from all over the world. There is a place called Parnashala, about 32 kilometers away from Bhadrachalam. According to local beliefs, Lord Rama spent a part of his 14 years of exile at this place and Ravana abducted Goddess Sita from this place. According to another story, when Lord Rama went from Lanka to rescue Sita, he stopped at this place after crossing the Godavari.
Shri Raja Ram Mandir
Shri Raja Ram Temple is in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh. This temple is the main center of faith of the devotees. There is a belief about this temple that Lord Ram comes here every night to sleep and in the morning Hanuman ji takes him back to Ayodhya. Situated on the banks of Betwa river, this temple is counted among the major Ram temples of the country. It is believed that even today King Ram rules here. For this reason, Raja Ram is given guard of honor by the police 5 times a day. This tradition has been going on for about 400 years. The real idol of Ramlala of Ayodhya is situated in Orchha itself. Therefore, even though the importance of Orchha may not be equal to that of Ayodhya, it is not less either.
Raghunath Temple
The talk about the famous temples of India is considered incomplete without the discussion of Raghunath Temple. Raghunath Temple is situated in the center of Jammu city. This temple is not only a big center of faith of Sanatan Dharma, but is also the identity of Jammu. Not only the idol of Lord Rama is installed in this temple, but other incarnations of Lord Shri Vishnu can also be seen. The famous Raghunath temple of Jammu is made up of seven different temples. There is a belief about the temple that after visiting here, Ram devotees get the blessings of 33 crore gods and goddesses. Five Kalash are visible from outside the Raghunath temple, which are spread in length. There are huge statues of Lord Ram, Mother Sita and Lakshman here.
Ramaswami Temple
The Ramaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Rama, is located on the banks of the Kaveri River in Kumbakonam city of Tamil Nadu, South India. This is one of the major temples of South India. There is a huge crowd of Vaishnav devotees gathered here all the time. This is considered to be the only temple in the country, where not only Mother Janaki, but also his four brothers Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan are present along with Lord Ram. There are many other small temples also in its premises. Apart from this, the idol of Hanuman is also installed in prayer posture. The sixty-four pillars of the auditorium near the gopuram are intricately carved with various scenes from the epic Ramayana and each pillar is carved from a single stone.
Kodand Ram Temple
Kodanda Ram Temple is located in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. This temple is the main center of faith of Ram devotees. The specialty of this temple is that here Mother Sita is standing on the right side of Lord Ram and Lakshman. According to mythology, Kodanda Ram Temple is at the exact place where Lord Shri Ram killed ‘Bali’. At the same time, it is said that at the time of Sita’s marriage, Parashuram challenged Shri Ram to string the Kodand bow. This bow was given by Lord Vishnu to Parashurama. According to the stories, Parashuram recognized that Shri Ram was the incarnation of Vishnu by the way of offering the string of Kodanda. In South India, people worship Lord Ram as Kodand Ram.
Shri Ram Teerth Mandir
Amritsar of Punjab is known not only for the Golden Temple but also for the temple of Lord Shri Ram. There is a belief about this temple related to the Ramayana period that when Lord Rama abandoned Mother Sita after returning from Lanka, Sita ji took refuge in the ashram of Maharishi Valmiki at this place. It was here that Mother Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush. It is said that Valmiki ji composed Ramayana at this place. Also, in this ashram, he taught Luv and Kush how to use weapons. This is the reason why devotees come in large numbers every day to visit this temple like Ayodhya. An 8 feet high gold plated statue of Maharishi Valmiki is installed in this temple.
Triprayar Shri Ram Mandir
Triprayar Sri Rama Temple is located in Thrissur city of Kerala. Lord Shri Ram This temple has a lot of recognition. People believe that worshiping in this temple keeps a person safe from evil. Regarding the idol of Lord Ram installed in the temple, it is believed that it is worshiped by Lord Shri Krishna himself. The temple complex has a sanctum sanctorum and a namaskar mandapam, which houses paintings from the Ramayana period and wooden carvings and ancient frescoes depicting the Navagrahas. Traditional arts like Kottu (drama) are performed regularly here. Public opinion is that this temple is more famous for the Arattupuzha Pooram festival held in the temple every year.
Bangkok abroad: Roads named after Lord Rama
Lord Shri Ram resides in every particle. Ram ji’s world tour was from India to Mauritius, Nepal, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. There are many such evidences present in these countries, which show that the feet of Ramji must have been lying here. Similarly, Bangkok has the longest series of Ramayana paintings in the world. At the same time, there is a statue of Buddha inside the palace and the entire Ramayana on the inner and outer walls. In Labburi, Thailand, Hanuman ji will be seen lifting Mount Gir for Sanjeevani Booti. Thailand is so dedicated to Ram that its roads and bridges are named after Lord Ram.
Sri Lanka: Ashoka Vatika Temple
According to historical beliefs, more than five thousand years have passed since the Ramayana period, yet the historical remains of the Ramayana period in Sri Lanka are today at the center of discussion all over the world. Ashok Vatika located in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka is also one such place, which leaves one in awe. When Ravana had kidnapped Mother Sita, there is a grand temple of Ram and Sita in the Ashok Vatika where Mother resided. Devotees come to pray with their heads bowed. That place located in Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka is today famous by the name of ‘Hakagala Botanical Garden’. The place where Sita Mata was kept is called ‘Sita Elya’.