In Orchha, a religious town in Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh, a 500-year-old custom has undergone a transformation. The tradition of giving a gun salute to Bhagwan Ram Raja has been altered. Instead, the Ram Raja Government will now receive a gun salute without knife. The new salute tradition started on May 13 when the police personnel saluted the Ram Raja Government with their guns without the cover.
It is being told that the knife in front of the gun has been removed for security reasons. Niwari Superintendent of Police Rai Singh Narwaria also confirmed this. He said that the crowd of devotees in the Mandir is continuously increasing. In such a situation, if the soldiers deployed here lose their temper for some reason, then there can be a problem. Therefore, the knife attached to the front of the gun has been removed.
Four guards were deployed at Bhagwan Shri Ram Raja Mandir. A guard standing in the middle had Bennett in his gun while the rest of the guards saluted without Bennett. Now Bennett has been removed from all soldiers’ guns. Police personnel are giving a guard of honour with guns and no knives.
Origins of the Tradition: Raja Madhukarshah’s Initiative
Orchha has been the city of Bundeli rulers. Ram Raja Mandir, one of the ancient temples of Madhya Pradesh, has a tradition of saluting Bhagwan Rama as a king. King Madhukarshah started this tradition. Rani Kunwar had brought Bhagwan Shri Ram to Orchha in Ganesh Samvat in 1631. After this, King Madhukarshah declared Bhagwan Shri Ram the king of Orchha, and he himself ruled Orchha as the executive king. King Madhukarshah started the tradition of armed salute to Bhagwan Shri Ram. Aarti is performed here four times a day: 8 am in the morning, Rajbhog Aarti at 12.30 pm, Evening Aarti at 8 pm, and Shayan Aarti at 10.30 pm.
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