Cricketer ‘grateful’ for temple visit
PROTEAS spinner Keshav Maharaj offered prayers at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, India, on Thursday.
Maharaj sought blessings during his visit to the temple that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated in January.
Many Hindus believe that the temple complex in Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, is located at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the mythical birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of Hinduism.
The temple was built on the disputed site of the former Babri Mosque, which was demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992. Following a court battle, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust began the first phase of construction of the Ram Temple in March 2020.
Maharaj was accompanied by many members of his Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squad ahead of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The left-arm spinner shared a picture on social media from his Ayodhya visit. The post was captioned: “Jai Shree Raam blessings to everyone.”
Maharaj told the Sunday Tribune that his experience was amazing.
“When you walk in you feel the vibrations and energy. And when you come out of the temple, you feel spiritually uplifted. I visited the temple as I am a staunch devotee of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram. The inauguration of the mandir was not long ago and it’s the birthplace of Lord Ram, so there’s a lot of significance to the temple. I like to visit temples while in India, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” he said.
Maharaj is training with the Lucknow squad for IPL 2024 but will not be an official member of the squad.
“I am part of LSG’S extended squad, not the official squad. So I am here as a replacement if something happens and there’s an opportunity, and they feel I
fit that description to fill that void. For now, it’s just preparations and getting ready for my season ahead and learning
what it’s like to be here," he said.
LSG begin their IPL 2024 season against the Rajasthan Royals today.