Ayodhya Ram temple: Who is Saraswati Devi? Lord Ram devotee to break 32-year-long vow of silence on Jan 22

An 85-year-old woman from Jharkhand will break her 32-year-long ‘maun vrat’ or vow of silence on January 22 with the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The woman’s vow is a testament to people’s devotion to Lord Ram and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Saraswati Devi started her vow in 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished in order to build the Ram temple there. Devi promised then that she would only break her vow of silence when her dream of Ayodhya Ram Temple became reality, claimed her family members.

Also Read |Budget 2024: Decoding the 'Vote on Account' in an election year

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Now that the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration ceremony is only days away, Devi will bring an end to her more than three-decades-long silence in the name of God.

Jharkhand woman’s 32-year-long vow of silence to end with Ayodhya Ram Temple inauguration

Devi, who is a Dhanbad resident, has already left for the temple town of Ayodhya to witness her dream come true - the inauguration of Ram temple. She has been excited since the date of the consecration of the temple was announced, told her youngest son Hare Ram Agarwal to PTI.

"She left for Ayodhya on Monday night aboard Ganga-Sutlej Express from Dhanbad Railway Station. She will break her silence on January 22," Hare Ram said further.

In Ayodhya, she is popularly known as “Mauni Mata” or silenced mother. She used to communicate with people through either sign language or writing down on paper.

Also Read |Ram Mandir inauguration: CM Yogi declares Jan 22 as dry day, schools and colleges in UP to remain closed

Till 2020, she used to take only one hour of break from her vow every day, mostly at noon time. But after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the temple in August 2020, she went on complete 24-hour silence for the rest of the days.

A mother of eight children, Devi devoted her life to Lord Ram after the death of her husband Devkinandan Agarwal in 1986. She spent most of her time on pilgrimages, said family members and neighbours.

In 2001, Devi did “tapasya” or penance for seven months at Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot, which is a pivotal site of Lord Ram’s 14-year-long exile.

Also Read |India's Lakshadweep to get new airport as part of overhaul to boost tourism

Devi is a Lord Ram devout who wakes up at around 4am everyday and mediates for around six to seven hours, as per her family members. In the evening, she studies religious texts like Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita after her “Sandhya Aarti” or evening prayer.

For her neighbours, family members and people of Ayodhya, she is an inspiration and a true epitome of unconditional devotion and affection to Lord Ram.

(With inputs from agencies)