People from all faiths can donate to Ram Temple: Trust member

Donations for building the Ram temple at Ayodhya would be accepted from all communities, and not from Hindus only, a member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust mandated by the central government to oversee its construction said on Sunday (July 26).

Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swami, head of Udupi-based Pejawar Mutt in Karnataka, who attended a recent virtual meeting of the trust, said it was suggested a sum of ₹10 per head be collected and ₹100 from household as part of the resource mobilisation efforts. “Its just a suggestion, its not like tax. Its kind of a road-map for people who are desirous of participating in the construction of the Mandir,” the seer said.

“We will accept donations from whoever has devotion towards and faith in Lord Ram,” he said when asked if contributions would be accepted from all communities and not limited to Hindus only.

He also said ₹10 per head and ₹100 per household is a suggested contribution, adding, the trust would accept any amount from ₹1 rupee or ₹1 crore.

The trust proposed to raise additional financial requirements from corporate social responsibility funds of companies, he added.

According to him, the temple construction, the ground-breaking ceremony which is slated for next week, would cost an estimated ₹300 crore, and another sum of around ₹
1,000 crore would be required for development of surrounding areas for temple-related activities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone on August 5.

An extensive month-long funds mobilisation campaign would be held from around November 25, the pontiff added.

Preparations are taking place in elaborate manner for the three-day Vedic rituals at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya which will be performed by a group of 11 priests from Varanasi and Ayodhya. The rituals will begin on August 3 and end with a ‘bhumi pujan’ on August 5 before the construction of the temple commences.

The Prime Minister will offer prayers to Lord Ram at the temple and Lord Hanuman at Hanuman Garhi Temple in Ayodhya before laying the foundation stone for the temple’s construction.