Ayodhya/UNI: The process of rituals before the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram's seated on a pedestal in the sanctum sanctorum of the grand temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya started amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras by the 121 eminent scholars, who had come here from all over the country, on Friday.

Apart from Acharya Laxmikant Dixit, Arun Dixit, Sunil Dixit, Ashok Vaidik, Purushottam Vaidik, who have come from Varanasi, 121 pundits from different states of the country including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, lit the fire through Aranimanthan at 9 am in the morning.

Before this, worship of established deities, including Lord Ganehs, Veda reading of all the branches by the gatekeepers, Dev Prabodhan, Aushadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas, Kundpujan and Panchbhu Sanskar were completed.

According to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust Ram Lalla Deity is being performed with Aushadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas and in the evening Dhanyadhivas with chanting of mantras in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Ganesh Shastri of Kashi, Dravidian and prominent Acharya Shri Laxmikant Dixit performed the ritual.

It may be noted that the 51-inch statue carved by sculptor Arun Yogiraj is black in color, whose weight is said to be two tons.