Brit cycling enthusiast gets manthrakshate for Ram temple consecration, says he’ll take it home

CHIKKAMAGALUR: With the fervour over the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple at Ayodhya building up as the day draws closer, volunteers are going around distributing manthrakshate (vermilion-coated rice) to lakhs of people across the state.

One such recipient of the manthrakshate was a British citizen, identified by only his last name, Herald, who is on a cycling expedition across the country. The cycling enthusiast has covered 25 countries and is visiting India for the ninth time.

Herald had camped at Menasinahadya in Koppa taluk when some locals, Vasegowda and Sampath, hosted him at their home. They presented him the manthrakshate and which he said he will carry back home.

Incidentally, Herald has a tattoo of Om on his right forearm. The duo also explained to him about the significance of Om, Bhagavad Gita, Hinduism, Ayodhya and Sri Ram.