Urmila Chaturvedi, the 81-year-old resident of Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur vowed that she would not consume food until the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya begins. Her pledge was fulfilled on August 5. She is elated since the Supreme Court’s judgement on November 9, last year, which paved the way for the construction of the temple. Post the verdict, she sent greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the SC judges who pronounced the verdict.

Chaturvedi said her pledge, for which she hasn’t consumed any grain for the past 28 years, is set to be fulfilled. She took the pledge just after Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992. She has eaten only fruits since then and spends a large part of her time reading the Ramayana. 

‘Wil eat grains after offering prayers to Ram Lalla’

She was 53 years old when she began her fast. Initially, people tried to convince her to break it, but she refused. In Lord Ram’s devotion, she survived on fruits for 28 years. 

She says she’ll visit Ayodhya and will eat grains after offering prayers to Ram Lalla. She says the construction of the temple is like a rebirth for her.

She says she’ll visit Ayodhya after the Ram temple bhoomi pujan (ground-breaking ceremony), will take a dip in river Saryu, offer prayers in front of Ram lalla and only then she’ll consume any grain.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted, “Lord Ram never disappoints his devotees whether she is mother Shabari of Treta Yuga or today’s mother Urmila! Mother, Blessed is your reverence! The whole Bharatvarsh (country) salutes you! Jai Siyaram!”

Meanwhile, Rakesh Singh, BJP MP for Jabalpur met Chaturvedi on Tuesday. He said as the temple’s construction is all set to begin, it’s clear that it involved sacrifices by the karsevaks and the saints.