Chairman of the Ayodhya Sri Ram Organisation T&T, Amit Alagh, has confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago is the first nation to receive a replica of the Ram Lalla murti from India.
In January 2024, the original Ram Lalla murti was consecrated in a major celebration in Ayodhya, at the exact spot believed to be Lord Ram’s birthplace. Following this, at least four replicas were made for distribution to the diaspora across the world.
On Sunday, this country received that first replica out of India, and according to Head of the Overseas Friends of Ram Lalla, Prem Bhandari, T&T will now attract thousands of devotees across the Americas.
“I want to see that Ram Lalla’s Mandir Pran Patishta should take place as early as possible so people from the United States and Canada, who cannot visit Ayodhya, they can come to your Trinidad and have darshan of Ram Lalla.”
India’s High Commissioner to T&T, Dr. Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit, urged the Hindu community to establish a permanent abode for the Ram Lalla murti.
“There is a need to have an Ayodhya Dham in Trinidad and Tobago. There is a need to have that. And there is a need of prana pratishta of the murti of Ram Lalla as soon as possible. There is a need to identify a suitable abode for Ram Lalla, a land and a mandir, with a general consensus and not infighting.”
The Ram Lalla idol portrays the deity as an infant placed on a lotus.
Many may associate Lord Ram with Divali, the festival of lights, which marks the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, with people said to have celebrated his return by lighting deyas throughout the city.
Chairman of the Ayodhya Sri Ram Organisation T&T, Amit Alagh, revealed that the murti will make its way throughout the length and breadth of T&T, hopefully to find an abode thereafter.
“The spiritual journey may allow all devotees from every corner of the country to receive his divine blessings, unite our communities in devotion and culture. Guided by Lord Ram himself, he will continue the sacred mission as we work, as Bhandaris say, as we work towards establishing Ayodhya Dham in Trinidad and Tobago.”
Dr. Rajpurohit also emphasised the spiritual energy surrounding the event and the symbolic presence of Ram in every corner of the world.
“We all say that Bhagwan is present all over in each particle, each atom, but it is our collective feeling today that Prabhu Shri Ram has made up his mind to come over in a physical shape, physical form, to the shores of Trinidad and Tobago.”
The construction of the work of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, India, is set to be completed soon, with several Indian media outlets saying it will be consecrated on June 5th.