PM Modi to Plant Sapling of Parijaat Tree Ahead of Ram Temple Foundation Ceremony in Ayodhya Today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will plant a sapling of Parijaat tree at the Ram temple site in Ayodhya before the ground-breaking ceremony scheduled to take place today. Sapling of this tree will be planted using the traditional natural drip irrigation method. Parijaat tree also finds mention in the Hindu mythology.

While speaking to ANI, Mahant Rajkumar Das said that Parijaat is considered as a divine tree and Prime Minister Modi will plant its sapling.

“PM will go to Shree Ram Janmabhoomi where he'll take part in pooja of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'. He'll then plant a Parijat sapling and subsequently perform Bhoomi Pujan,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Lucknow around 10:30am. He will now proceed to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi'. The 'bhumi pujan' of the grand temple in Ayodhya, at a spot where devotees believe that Lord Ram was born, is said to take place at 12:40 pm, which is the 'muhurat' for the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Last month, the Prime Minister had shared a tip to conserve water while farming or gardening and had mentioned about the natural drip irrigation method.

Explaining the method, the Prime Minister had asked people to place an unglazed clay pot underground, parallel to the roots of the plant or small trees.

He further suggested that the pot should be filled with water and covered with a lid. Prime Minister Modi also asked people to cover the place where it is placed and asserted that people would not have to water the plant again for a week.

The Prime Minister informed that this natural drip irrigation method is already practised in some parts of Gujarat.

A report in Times of India mentioned that Parijaat tree is said to have come out of churning of ocean. Arjun, a character in Mahabharata, brought the tree to Earth from the garden of Indra for his mother Kunti. According to the national daily, it is said to be a wish granting tree.