Gujarat tattooist inks ‘Shri Ram’ on devotees for free ahead of Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya

PTI, Jan 5, 2024, 6:43 PM IST

With religious fervour gaining momentum as the day of Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya nears, a tattooist in Gujarat’s Navsari city has been offering to ink Lord Ram’s name on devotees free of cost.

Tattooist Jay Soni has already inked ”Shri Ram” on the hands of 200 devotees and expects the number to reach 1,000 by the time the temple consecration ceremony is held on January 22.

”I was wondering what I could do on my part when the Ram temple comes up in Ayodhya. Since I am a tattoo artist, I decided to offer a free tattoo of Lord Ram’s name to devotees,” Soni said.

This is his small contribution to the occasion, he said.

Soni started his mission in December and has inked ”Shri Ram” on 200 devotees so far. More than 700 people have booked their appointments with the tattoo artist, and he expects the figure to reach 1,000 and more by January 22.

”I will have my first tattoo of Lord Ram’s name when the idol of Ram Lalla is installed in the temple. I think everyone should connect themselves with Lord Ram and his work in some way,” a devotee who came for a free tattoo said.

Soni claimed that his name entered the India Books of Records for tattooing continuously for 67 hours.

Ayodhya is getting decked up for the ‘pran pratishtha’ at the grand Ram temple to be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22.

The Ram temple complex, built in the traditional Nagara style, will be 380 feet in length (east-west direction), 250 feet in width and 161 feet in height.

Each floor of the temple will be 20 feet high and have a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates.