Odisha: Dharmendra Pradhan takes part in earthen lamp preparation for Deepdan Deepawali event

Sambalpur (Odisha) [India], January 21 (ANI): Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in diya preparation with Sambalpur residents for Deepdan Deepawali to be held on the day of the Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya.
'Deepdan Deepawali' will be conducted near Hanuman Temple in Sambalpur on January 22, aligned with the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Earlier, Pradhan was spotted making a contribution to the 'Swachhta Abhiyaan' following Pran Pratishtha at the Gopal Ji temple in Deogarh.
"The wait of 500 years is going to get over tomorrow and less than 24 hours left for it. Today I have reached Sambalpur and offered prayers in Samaleswari Temple, who of the and did 'Deepdan and roomed across the city, whole of the city and people from all sections of society have come together to celebrate Diwali," said Pradhan while interacting with media.
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday also participated in a cleanliness drive under the Swachh Teerth Campaign at Eri Katha Ramar Temple in Madhuranthakam, Tamil Nadu.
"Nirmala Sitharaman participates in a cleanliness drive under the Swachh Teerth Campaign at Eri Katha Ramar Temple in Madhuranthakam, Tamil Nadu. Eri Katha Ramar Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. It was built during the reign of the Pallava Kingdom and is one of the oldest temples of Lord Rama in South India," as per a post by the Nirmala Sitharaman Office on 'X'.
"The temple has inscriptions from the Chola era which calls Rama with the name "Thiru Ayothi Peruman" signifying the link with Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call for conducting a nationwide drive to maintain the cleanliness of our temples from January 14 to January 21, 2024," they added.
The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple will take place on Monday. The idol of Lord Ram has been placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The idol of 'Ram Lalla' is carved by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj. The idol is 51 inches tall and weighs 1.5 tonnes. The idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus also crafted from the same stone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha'; a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will lead the main rituals. Several celebrities and noted personalities have also been invited to the ceremony. (ANI)