Udupi : Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji of Udupi Pejawar Mutt, one of the trustees of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, led a host of religious programmes at his branch mutt in Neelavara Goshala in Udupi district on Wednesday to mark the Shilanyas for the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

The swamiji could not go to Ayodhya as he is observing the Chaturmasa at the branch mutt.

The swamiji placed the picture of his Guru late Sri Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji, who was in the forefront of the Ram Mandir movement, and performed puja. Later, the swamiji watched the Shilanyas programme being performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ayodhya.

In his message, Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha said that though his Guru was not here, everyone remembers his relentless fight for the Ram Mandir.

In Udupi, the abode of Lord Krishna, Paryaya Swamiji Sri Ishapriya Tirtha Swamiji of Udupi Admar Mutt performed the Mahapuja to the presiding deity. Sri Vidyavallabha Tirtha Swamiji of Udupi Kaniyoor Mutt decorated Lord Krishna in the form of Pattabhirama before the Paryaya Swamiji offered the puja. The decoration resembled Lord Rama’s coronation.

Meanwhile in Mangaluru, MLAs Y. Bharath Shetty and D. Vedavyas Kamath led the celebrations by launching balloons at Chitrapura Beach and Car Street respectively. District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari offered prayers at the Amrutheswari Temple in Kota in Udupi district, his native place. Archaks in Muzrai temples across the coastal region conducted special pujas for the successful construction of the Ram Temple as per the direction of the government.