This Elderly Woman Broke 32 Years Of Silence Vow; Here's What She Said

An elderly woman from Jharkhand's Dhanbad broke a vow of silence she took 32 years ago. On January 22, during the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Saraswati Devi finally uttered her first word in over three decades. "Jai Siya Ram!" she said as she absorbed the celebratory mood of the auspicious day. The 85-year-old, fondly known as 'Mauni Mata' (silent mother), took the silence oath in 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya. Devi will now stay in Ayodhya for a few months to completely engross in her devotion to Lord Ram.

Devi's younger son, Hari Ram Agarwal recorded his mother's first words in 32 years and sent them to the media channel, Prabhaat Khabar. He told the media that she was emotional to witness the Ram Mandir finally inaugurated in her lifetime.

Why She Took The Vow Of Silence 

Saraswati Devi took the oath to never speak until she witnessed the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Devi is a mother of eight and became an ardent devotee of Lord Ram after her husband Devkinandan Agarwal's passing in 1986. The 85-year-old woman lives in Dhanbad with her eldest son, Nand Lal Agarwal, who is an official with the Bharat Coking Coal Limited.

In 1990, during the nationwide movements and protests for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Saraswati Devi decided to show her devotion with a self-imposed vow which she began soon after the Babri Masjid demolition. In 2001 Devi undertook a seven-month atonement at Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh. Chitrakoot is said to be the place where Lord Ram spent his vanvaas (exile).

She has also undertaken many other pilgrimages to places like Char Dham, Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Tirupati Balaji, Somnath Temple, and Baba Baidyanathdham. Last week, writing to NDTV she expressed, "My whole life is fulfilled. Ramlalla has called me for Pran Pratistha (consecration). My penance and meditation were successful. After 30 years, my vow of silence will be broken with Ram Naam (name)."

Devotees across the world were engrossed in the celebration of the much-awaited Pran Pratishtha of Ram Mandir on Monday. Like Devi, several devotees had undertaken vows for this day. Reportedly, many expectant mothers had also planned their caesarean section deliveries to align with the auspicious day.