Mangaluru : Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade on Wednesday announced ₹25 lakh contribution from the kshetra for the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya with the promise of continued support for the initiative.

He made the announcement at the “Nidhi Samarpana” programme at the temple town organised by Sri Ram Janmabhoom Tirth Kshetra Trust under the leadership of Udupi Pejawar Mutt seer and one of the trustees Sri Vishwa Prasanna Tirtha Swami. The Ram Mandir, Mr. Heggade said, should come up as a monument of the century with the active participation of one and all.

Speaking on the occasion, Sri Vishwa Prasanna said Sri Ram has been the embodiment of all the virtues. Shunning all vices and imbibing virtues by one and all was the aim behind the construction of the Ram Mandir. The dreams of “Rama Rajya” under the present democracy should be realised through the construction of the mandir, the swami said.

Stating that mother and motherland were superior to heaven, the seer urged everyone to chant Rama Naama in their homes every morning and evening thereby reviving the religion and culture to support the Rama Rajya. The donation programme was organised between February 15 and 25 with people donating sums ranging from ₹10 to ₹1,000 by buying coupons from visiting volunteers of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Sri Vishwa Prasanna said.

He said along with construction of the Ram Mandir at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore at Ayodhya, accommodation, library and other facilities for the visiting devotees were planned at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore. Earlier, the swami visited the Manjunatha Swamy temple.

Belthangady MLA K. Harish Poonja, Alva’s Foundation trustee Vivek Alva, VHP southern Karnataka president M.B. Puranik, and others were present.