Venkat Raman
Standfirst: A Note from Jacob Mannothra, Managing Director and Publisher:
Dear Readers
Most of us have resumed work after the holiday season and this is a good occasion to extend our warm greeting to you.
2024 is the Siver Jubilee year for Indian Newslink.
These 25 years have been eventful, challenging and satisfying. Despite difficult market conditions and shrinking advertising opportunities, we have grown as a community newspaper serving an ever-expanding diverse readership. Today, our newspaper is read by the members of the South Asian Communities including people of Indian, Fiji Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and Nepali origin and increasingly by Maori and Pacifica.
The advent of social media has changed the perception and scope of journalism and today there is a greater need to understand and respect the feelings of our communities. We also appreciate the feedback that we have been receiving from our readers that media companies cannot remain insensitive to the changing world and that journalistic freedom becomes sublime when it is restrained.
We have always kept people at the centre of our operations and we genuinely care for your opinions on issues that affect your sentiments. Articles and reports that appear on Indian Newslink platforms do not reflect the newspaper’s opinions but only those of their authors. We do not necessarily agree with those opinions. While we uphold journalistic freedom, all our journalists have to maintain truthful and factually correct reporting at all times.
As we mark our Silver Jubilee Year, we will make a conscientious effort to ensure that the materials that appear do not offend our communities. we look forward to your continued support.
(Jacob Mannothra)
There were more than 7000 men, women and children at Eden Park in Auckland today (January 21, 2024) to offer special prayers to Lord Ram, an Avatar of Vishnu.
India’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan and her husband Anurag Bhushan, Priests and officials of eleven temples and associations and hundreds of people offered prayers and recited Kirtans in praise of the Lord. Long queues were then formed to go around the Havans and the Deities and submit their offerings.
Ms Bhushan later joined Minister of Regulation and ACT Party Leader David Seymour and Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee to present prizes and certificates to winners at the competitions that were held as a part of the event.
Ayodhya at Eden Park was a prelude to a prayer meeting held later in the evening at several Temples and a similar event scheduled to be held at Bharat Bhavan of the Wellington Indian Association in the Capital tomorrow (Monday) and most importantly, the Consecration or Prana Pratishtha of Ram Lalla (Young Ram) in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in India.
The Ayodhya Ceremony will be a sublime event led by India’s charismatic Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highly popular Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and 7000 others from all over the world. Among them are high-ranking government officials, corporate chiefs, film stars, men and women of letters, religious leaders, seers, and Presidents of Hindu Councils functioning in many parts of the world including New Zealand.
The entire ceremony will be broadcast live from 12.20 pm IST (7.50 pm NZT) on Doordarshan News and international viewers can watch on its YouTube channel.
It is understood that the ceremony will be captured by 40 cameras installed in various locations in Ayodhya. The live coverage will be on a 4K display.
A Spectacular Event
Ayodhya in Eden Park Auckland was a spectacular event, the success of which has been attributed to the Organising Committee and its various other Sub-Committees, the participating Temples and Indian associations, more than 300 volunteers, Gurdwaras, sponsors, advertisers and donors. The Organising Committee has been drawing inspiration from priests in India and New Zealand and members of the Hindu community.
The Sikh community expressed its characteristic solidarity and generosity through its services which included food supply and volunteers. Many leaders of the community were seen at the event.
We will announce the names of the winners of various competitions when received.
Ayodhya in Eden Park demonstrated another fact: that given the right cause, opportunity and motivation, people will come together and work relentlessly to make it a success. Thousands of men and women were seen working at the venue, assisted by young volunteers. The event also proved the popularity of the Indian Prime Minister as people hailed, ‘Modi Ji Ki Jai!’ after the Mangalarti after the prayer session.
The Ayodhya Ceremony
As mentioned, Mr Modi will lead Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla in the Temple’s sanctum sanctorum in Ayodhya. Having taken the Sankalp, he has been observing a strict religious and rigorous routine for the past eleven days, in addition to his duties as the head of the government.
Editor’s Note: Loosely translated, Sankalp means, ‘Resolution.’ In the Hindu religion, ‘San’ means ‘Connection with the Highest Truth’ and ‘Kalpa’ means ‘vow.’ Thus, it denotes an affirmation of resolve to do something or achieve something spiritual.
Mr Modi has also been praying at various Temples in South India, especially Tamil Nadu, visited by Lord Ram during His time, one of which was the Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple located in Rameswaram at the southernmost tip of India.
It was from Rameswaram that Lord Ram is believed to have built a bridge to travel to Sri Lanka to rescue His Wife Goddess Sita, held captive by the Lankan King Ravan.
“I prayed at the Temple for the good health and wellbeing of 140 crore (1.4 billion) Indians,’ Mr Modi said in his tweet.
“It will be a historic moment when Lord Ram will take his place in His Grand Temple. I appeal to all Indians to light lamps in their homes and neighbourhood Temples on Monday (January 22) evening and once again celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights,” he said in another, earlier statement.
Return of Ram after 500 years
The inauguration of the Temple, reinstating Lord Ram in His original and rightful place, will also fulfil the lingering desire of the Hindu community for the past almost 500 years.
Seeking to ensure a smooth entry and exit for visitors arriving in the city, the Uttar Pradesh government has made arrangements for parking at 51 designated locations. With parking spaces for 22,825 vehicles, these spots will be under drone surveillance and are conveniently marked on Google Maps to facilitate guests, officials said. Special parking provisions have been made for VVIPs, VIPs, and other guests, ensuring a well-organised and equipped setup, officials said.
“The Temple will mark the beginning of India’s cultural revival and restore national pride,“ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
Satyendra Das, the 86-year-old Head Priest of the old Temple said, “After enduring life in a tent, Lord Ram has now found a rightful abode. It has been a test of patience for all of us.”
The new Temple will stretch across 7.2 acres in a 70-acre complex with an imposing three-storey structure, clad in pink sandstone and anchored by black granite, boasting towering pillars and resting upon 70,000 sq ft (6503 sq m) of pristine white marble. A 51-inch (4.25-ft) idol of Ram will be placed on a marble pedestal.
Eventually, when the Temple is complete, it is expected to greet a staggering 150,000 visitors per day, about seven times the current rate.
