Indian diaspora celebrate ‘Pran Pratishtha’ with billboards, ‘bhandara’; special event by Oxford students

The Indian diaspora in the UK also lavishly celebrated the historic occasion on Monday, coinciding with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla, which took place in Ayodhya. The diaspora decorated London with digital banners that said, “UK celebrates Bhagwan Ram’s homecoming in Ayodhya.” Amidst the bustling Monday morning saffron display in London, the approximately 250 Hindu temples throughout the United Kingdom are commemorating the occasion with unique rituals such as puja, Bhandara, bhajan-kirtan, and hawan.

“Lord Ram is beyond any borders. He is an energy that touches the lives of all beings on earth globally. It is a proud day for us here in the UK as we celebrate the coming of Lord Ram,” Manish Tiwari, the founder and chairperson of Here and Now 365, a London-based multi-cultural agency said.
In the Southhall Ram Mandir in London, the members of the diaspora organised a ‘Bhandara’ (community feast) to celebrate the occasion and distributed different food items to the people.
“It’s a big moment today–the opening of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. We, the people in London, especially the Ram Temple in Southall, are very privileged. The Bhandara has been going on since 7am in the morning; bread pakoras, jalebis, hot tea, kadhi chawal, bhajia. The youngsters and devotees have joined us from all over,” Gullu Anand, trustee of the Southall Ram Mandir said.