Mumbai: Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram, witnessed a flood of faith on Thursday, January 25, 2024, as devotees thronged to the Ram temple on the auspicious occasion of Paush Purnima. The temple authorities extended the timing of darshan to accommodate the huge crowd that came to seek the blessings of Ramlala, the child form of Lord Ram.
The devotees were also eager to see the special sword that was gifted to Ramlala by Nilesh Arun, a manufacturer of ancient weapons from Mumbai. The sword, named ‘Nandak Kharag‘, is made of pure gold and weighs 80 kg. It is 7 feet 3 inches tall and has a brass handle. It was presented to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday by Nilesh Arun and his colleagues.
Nilesh Arun said that he had a deep devotion towards Lord Ram and that he had vowed to offer this sword to him after the Supreme Court verdict in favor of the Ram temple. He said that his ancestors used to make weapons and armaments for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s army and that he had inherited their skills and passion. He said that he had named the sword ‘Nandak Kharag’ after the mythical weapon of Lord Vishnu, who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Ram.
According to the Puranas, Nandak was a powerful warrior who emerged from the fire of a yagya performed by Lord Brahma on the peak of Sumer Mountain. He killed an iron giant who was threatening to disrupt the yagya and was then given to Lord Vishnu as a sword by the gods. The sword was said to have the power to destroy any enemy with a single blow.
The devotees who came to Ayodhya also performed the first Mahasnan of the year in the holy river Saryu, which flows near the Ram temple. This was the first Paush Purnima after the inauguration of the Ram temple, which took place on August 5, 2023, amid much fanfare and celebration. Paush Purnima is considered to be a very auspicious day for bathing in the sacred rivers and performing rituals and charity. Many devotees also visited Kashi, Prayagraj, and Haridwar to take a dip in the Ganga river on this day.
