Highlights: PM Modi Begins 11-Day Special Ritual For Ayodhya's Ram Temple Event

Ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony here, the movement of trains will be affected from January 16 to 22 due to doubling of tracks and electrification being done on top priority, a senior Railways official said on Monday.

Ten trains, including Vande Bharat, have been cancelled while 35 trains, including Doon Express, will run on alternate routes. The run of 14 other trains will also be affected.

The Vande Bharat Express running from Ayodhya Cantt to Anand Vihar was earlier cancelled till January 15 for the ongoing works, said Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Northern Railway, Lucknow Division, Rekha Sharma.

The temple town of Ayodhya is set to get the country’s first seven-star luxury hotel that will serve only vegetarian food. It is in this city that the grand Ram temple will be opened next Monday.

A five-star hotel will also be set up by a Mumbai-based real estate firm in Ayodhya. A housing project will be launched too from January 22, the day consecration ceremony will be held at the temple.

The temple’s opening has triggered a series of development works in the city, including hotels and housing projects to make it a prominent hub.

The ‘Sundarkand’ segment from the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’ will be recited in the Delhi assembly tomorrow, the Aam Aadmi Party government announced today.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said ‘Sundarkand’ and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ will be recited in the assembly on the first Tuesday of every month.

The announcement comes ahead of the grand inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The ‘Pran Pratishta’, or consecration, of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya – billed by the BJP as a mega-spectacle to be headlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election will be attended by over 10,000 special guests from across India, including 100 international dignitaries. However, at least two of four shankaracharyas – the most important Hindu religious leaders – will not, citing failure to follow norms and a “political angle” to an event also criticised by the opposition.

In the midst of assertions from opposing factions that the four Shankaracharyas are contemplating skipping the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj, the Shankaracharya of Puri, disclosed that their decision is rooted in the deviation from established traditions during the installation of the Ram Lalla idol.

Speaking to ANI, Swami Nischalanand Maharaj revealed why the four Shankaracharyas are not attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event.

“The Shankaracharyas uphold their own dignity. This is not about ego. Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the Prime Minister installs the idol of Ram Lalla? The presence of a ‘secular’ government does not imply the obliteration of tradition,” he remarked.

As the country gears up to witness the grand ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22 to mark the auspicious day.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Sunday that the state would observe a ‘dry day’ to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla that will be held at Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

“We have decided that January 22 will be a dry day in the entire state… Shops selling any kind of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance would remain closed on that day,” Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said while speaking to reporters.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday instructed the district collectors to undertake a cleanliness drive at all temples in the state and ensure the change is “visible” within a week, ahead of the consecration of Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

Eknath Shinde gave these instructions at a review meeting chaired by him at his official residence here.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call to keep temples clean. The district collectors in Maharashtra should undertake a cleanliness drive across all the temples and decorate them with electric lights. The change should be visible within a week,” Mr Shinde said.

Rajasthan government has declared a dry day on January 22 in view of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

As the country gears up to witness the grand Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday flagged off 100 electric buses for tourists in the city.

The operation of electric buses will be initiated on the Dharma Path and Ram Path. 100 electric buses will commence operations from January 15 onward in the city.

In a momentous declaration, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Alok Kumar revealed plans for a grand initiative spanning 56 countries, as dignitaries come together to extend invitations to 10 crore homes for ‘Pran Pratistha’ of Ram Temple.

“We will go to 10 crore households across 56 countries of the world and invite them…that they will have to come together at their nearby temple to watch this event,” said VHP International Working President Alok Kumar on the ‘Pran Pratishta’ of Ram Temple.

As the country gears up to witness the grand ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22 to mark the auspicious day.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced on Sunday that the state would observe a ‘dry day’ to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla that will be held at Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

In a push towards cleanliness ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya spearheaded a cleanliness drive at the Balkeshwar Hanuman Temple in Lucknow.

Echoing the Prime Minister’s call for a ‘Swachh Mohalla. Swachh Gram. Ayodhya Dham. Jai Shri Ram’ campaign, Maurya emphasized the historical significance of the initiative, recalling the efforts of Paramhans Ramchandra Das Maharaj in advocating the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple case hearing.

Notably, on December 30, Prime Minister Modi initiated the nationwide campaign from Ayodhya, commencing the drive from Panchvati – the place where Lord Ram spent a significant duration during his years in exile. 

Parallelly, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel showcased his commitment to the cause by actively participating in a cleanliness drive at the Dholeshwar Mahadev Temple on Saturday. (ANI)

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday declared January 22 as a ‘dry’ day when liquor shops will remain closed to mark the consecration of Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya.

“On this day, there is a grand consecration program of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya. Keeping in view the public sentiments, we have decided that January 22 will be a dry day in the state. All types of shops including liquor, Bhang outlets will remain closed,” Chief Minister Mohan Yadav posted on his official X account in the night.

He said January 22 is a very fortunate day for all of us. (PTI)

Ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the devotees of Banke Bihari Temple on Sunday handed over a silver conch, a flute and several ornaments to Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Lord Ram Lalla, to dedicate them to Lord Ram for the January 22 Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

Preparations are underway in full swing for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla, which will draw dignitaries and people from all walks of life. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22. Vedic rituals for the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony. (ANI)

The ‘Kinnar’ community in Bareilly has said that they will not insist on taking the customary gifts and money from parents for blessing the children born on January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

“We will visit the houses of the families whose children are born on the day of ‘Pran Pratishtha’ at the temple and sing congratulatory songs,” Sharda, a member of the community, said.

“We will not ask for ‘neg’ (money or gifts) from these families for blessing their newborns, but gladly accept whatever they offer us,” they said. (PTI)

Day after the Mauritian cabinet announced a mandatory 2-hour break for Hindus working in public offices to enable them to attend local events being organised ahead of the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, it has now been learnt that temples in the island country will organise chanting of verses from the epic ‘Ramayana’ ahead of the grand event in India.

Amid the growing public anticipation in India around the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, later this month, Indians in the United States organised a car rally in Edison, New Jersey.

More than 350 cars participated in the rally. Visuals accessed by ANI showed people from the Hindu community holding flags inscribed with images of Lord Ram and several cars lining up on the streets.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday thanked the Ram Mandir trust for inviting him to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ on January 22 and said he would visit the temple with his family after the event.

Ahead of the January 22 consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya in India, Nepal’s Janakpur – believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram’s wife Sita – is gearing up to join the celebrations with multiple cultural and religious events.

Sita’s other name is Janaki, daughter of King Janak of Janakpur. It is 220 kms southeast of Kathmandu and about 500-odd km east of Ayodhya.

“Our daughter, Mata Janaki was married to Lord Shri Ram. We are very elated and proud that the consecration of Ramlala will take place at Ayodhya. People of Janakpur were very happy when the Supreme Court of India had declared its final verdict (in the Ayodhya matter),” Nepal’s former deputy prime minister Bimalendra Nidhi said on Saturday.

“For the people of Janakpur, Shri Ram is not just a deity but also their son-in-law. People are happy that their daughter and the son-in-law are entering their own house,” added Nidhi, a senior Nepali Congress leader.

“Nepal is situated between India and China. Both India and China have an influence on Nepal and vice versa. However, in comparison, India has a deep cultural, geographical, and political connect with Nepal,” he said. (PTI)

As the preparation for the ‘Pran Pratistha ceremony’ of Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya is underway, the state transport department will start the service of a new-design electric auto to help commuters visit various religious programmes in the city.

According to the supervisor of the auto service, two types of electric auto, white and pink, will start in the city tomorrow. White autos will be driven by men, whereas women will run the pink vehicles. These electric autos will help commuters visit various religious programmes in the city.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held on Saturday between Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a trust constituted to look after the construction and management of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and government officials here in the temple town ahead of the much-awaited ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla.

Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, General Secretary, Champat Rai, was also present in the meeting.

As per officials, discussions were held on the preparations for the grand event, scheduled later this month, where huge footfall is anticipated from across the country.

During the meeting, apart from Rai, Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal, the Inspector-General of Police and other police officers were present.

Divisional Commissioner Gaurav Dayal said, “We had a meeting with the trust officials. Where the guests will stay, their mode of commuting, car movement, and car parking. 

The whole plan was discussed with the trust, and their suggestions were also taken.” (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday addressed village heads and panchayat representatives through video conference and called upon them to help make the state clean and beautiful before the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The chief minister emphasized that participation in a special cleanliness campaign would give the entire country a new message.

“January 22 is the day for a national celebration. After 500 years, the festival of Lord Rama’s arrival in the new, grand, and divine temple is not just for Ayodhya but a celebration for every village, every home, and every individual,” he said.

It is an unprecedented celebration, and preparations in every village and home should be in the same way, Adityanath said, adding that efforts should be made to celebrate the festival of Lord Ram in every home.

“Devotees should ensure temples are clean and decorated beautifully. The heads of the villages should awaken people with their efforts and make them understand the importance of cleanliness,” the chief minister said.

He also appealed to the village heads to work on solid and liquid waste management. (PTI)

With security being one of the major factors in the upcoming Pran Pratishtha programme in Ram Mandir on January 22, Praveen Kumar, Inspector General (IG) said that the people of Ayodhya is ready to become host and police is making use of technology for security enhancement.

Praveen Kumar told news agency ANI that CCTVs are installed at various places and they are also using Artificial Technology (AI) to enhance their security.

“Ayodhya has been sensitive in security matters since the beginning. We have communicated to every person here to be alert and careful. The people of the entire Ayodhya are ready to host and are giving full cooperation in security. We are getting valuable input from places. We have also made maximum utilization of technology for security. CCTV cameras have been installed at various places and are also using ‘AI’ in this,” he said. (ANI)

Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ram Mandir on January 22, the work of installing doors in the temple has reached its final stage, while the process of grinding and cleaning the stones for the third floor is underway at a fast pace.

The intention of the Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra Trust and the building construction committee is that as much work as possible should be completed before the programme on January 22, given that all the work will be done on a war footing.

Dharam Veer, the artisan who is constructing these doors, said that 16 doors have been placed so far and 4-5 more are yet to be placed.

“All work will be completed by January 19,” he said.

“I am feeling immense joy by working for Lord Shri Ram. The way we installed the gold studded doors on the main gate of the sanctum sanctorum of Ramlala, there was enthusiasm and joy in our minds. It is a very difficult task to express in words. I consider myself very fortunate that I am working for my Ramlala,” he added.

Doors are being made for the third floor of the temple in Ramsevak Puram of Ayodhya. (ANI)

With the Pran Pratishta ceremony of Shri Ram Lala at the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya approaching, preparations are in full swing for the mega event.

Thousands of VIP guests have received invitations from Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the ceremony scheduled for January 22. The Trust has made elaborate arrangements to welcome and honor all attendees, presenting them with gifts that include ‘Ram Raj.’ 

As part of the celebration, Teerth Kshetra Trust will also distribute special ‘Motichoor laddus’ made from desi ghee as ‘Prasad’ to the guests.

Guests attending the Pran Pratistha ceremony on January 22 will receive a unique gift – soil extracted during the foundation excavation of the temple, referred to as ‘Ram Raj.’ 

The sacred soil from Ram Janmabhoomi will be carefully packed in boxes and presented to attendees during the ceremony. (ANI)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure complete accommodation arrangements for the devotees arriving in Ayodhya for Ram Lalla’s darshan after January 22.

According to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office, Mr Adityanath has also prepared a blueprint. 

Following the directives of the Yogi government, arrangements are reportedly currently being made at the administrative level to accommodate 30,000 people every day.

Five lakh laddus from Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar shrine will be sent to Ayodhya for the consecration of the Ram temple, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Friday.

Ahead of the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Lord Ram will get a 2.5 kg bow, which is traditionally with him. This will be given to the Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which was set up for the construction and management of the new temple, by Ayodhya-based Amava Ram Temple.

“Ahead of the ‘pran pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla (Lord Ram) in Ayodhya on January 22, we are getting bow and arrows for him from Chennai. On January 19, these will be donated to the Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust,” Shayan Kunal, a trustee of the Amava Ram Temple, told the news agency PTI.

“The bow has been made as per its description mentioned in Valmiki Ramayan. Descriptions about different arrows are also mentioned in it. The skilled Chennai-based artisans, who have been in this profession for the last 200 years, have made the bow. 23 carat of gold has been used to make the bow. About 600-700 grams of gold has been used to make the bow weighing 2.5 kg,” he added.

Paying tributes to the sacrifice of the devotees of Lord Ram, Prime Minister Modi said, “Physically, I will be a witness to that sacred moment, but in my mind, in every beat of my heart, 140 crore Indians will be with me. You will be with me… every Ram devotee will be with me. And that conscious moment will be a shared experience for all of us. I will take with me the inspiration of countless personalities who have dedicated their lives to the cause of Ram Mandir.”

PM Modi said the God has chosen him as an instrument to represent all Indians during the “Pran Pratishtha” exercise and that it is a “huge responsibility”. 

“As it is also said in our scriptures, we have to awaken divine consciousness in ourselves for the Yagya and worship of God. For this, fasts and strict rules have been prescribed in the scriptures, which have to be followed before consecration. Therefore, according to the guidance I have received from some pious souls and great men of the spiritual journey and according to the ‘Yama-Niyams’ suggested by them, I am starting a special ritual of 11 days from today,” he said.

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He sought the blessings of people, sages and God for the undertaking and expressed happiness that he will initiate the ritual from Nashik Dham – Panchavati where Lord Ram spent significant time.

In a 10-minute audio message, PM Narendra Modi expressed that he is “overwhelmed with emotions”.

“For the first time in my life, I am going through such feelings, I am experiencing a different feeling of devotion,” he said.

“This emotional journey of my inner self is not an opportunity for expression but for experience. Even though I want to, I am not able to put into words its depth, breadth and intensity. You can also understand my situation very well,” he added.

PM Narendra Modi today began an 11-day special ritual ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. In a message to the nation, he said that the feeling of “Ram Bhakti” is immersing the whole country in the run-up to the grand event.