Bengaluru, NFAPost: In a historic moment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS Summit, virtually witnessed the lunar landing attempt of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has set its sights on making history by attempting a soft landing on the uncharted south pole of the moon, with the scheduled landing time at 18:04 hrs IST.
The global community is abuzz with anticipation as the world awaits this remarkable lunar landing. Well-wishers have poured in from across the globe as India aims to join an elite group of nations – the United States, Russia, and China – that have achieved lunar landings. Notably, India is poised to become the only nation to land on the lunar south pole.
Indian students and research scholars based in Uxbridge, London, organized a special prayer at the Adya Shakti Mataji Temple to bless the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s success. Meanwhile, members of the Indian diaspora in Virginia, US, performed a havan, seeking the safe landing of Chandrayaan-3.
The fervour extends across the country, with prayers being held in various cities. In Rishikesh, a Ganga Aarti ceremony took place at Parmarth Niketan Ghat, commemorating India’s third lunar mission’s crowning moment. Simultaneously, groups in Bhubaneswar, Varanasi, and Prayagraj performed ‘havan’ and offered prayers for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3. Even children from Vadodara participated by offering their prayers for the mission’s safe landing.
In Lucknow, prayers were offered at the Islamic Center of India, where people gathered to express their hopes for Chandrayaan-3’s triumph.
The much-anticipated landing operations will be broadcast live, commencing at 5:20 PM IST on Wednesday. The live coverage will be accessible on various platforms, including the ISRO website, its YouTube channel, Facebook, and the public broadcaster DD National TV, starting at 5:27 PM IST on August 23, 2023.
Chandrayaan-3’s Lander Module (LM) comprising the lander Vikram and rover Pragyan is scheduled to make a historic touchdown near the lunar south pole. As India stands on the brink of this remarkable achievement, the world watches with bated breath, eager to witness the outcome of this audacious lunar mission.
