India has yet again crafted the pages of legacy! Today marked the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals. The shrine will open to the public one day after the consecration ceremony i.e. 23 January 2023.
Following the initial phase of temple construction, the consecration ceremony was held, a milestone made possible by a 2019 Supreme Court decision on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute. The Hindu litigants alleged that the Babri Mosque was built on the grounds of a temple commemorating Lord Ram’s birthplace. In 1992, kar sevaks, demolished the 16th-century mosque.
Now, describing it as a fresh start, PM Modi announced that the nation’s tough 500-year wait has finally come to an end.
Following the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation, saying, “Our beloved Ram Lalla will no longer stay in tents but in this sacred temple.”
He emphasized the significance of Lord Ram, stating, “Ram is the essence, the thought, the pride, and the glory of India.”
PM Modi characterized the moment as divine and the holiest of all, declaring, “Ram belongs to everyone, he is eternal. The 22nd of January isn’t just a date, it marks the commencement of a new era.”
Following the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, PM Modi urged people to “lay the foundation of India for the next 1,000 years; We take a pledge to build a capable, grand, divine India from this moment.”
“The Ram temple’s building will cause a firestorm. They should reflect because Ram is energy, not fire, a solution, not a quarrel,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Ayodhya today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tossed flower petals on labourers who helped build the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Prominent political figures in attendance included HD Deve Gowda, N Chandrababu Naidu, RS Prasad, Yogi Adityanath, and Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The event also drew celebrities, sportspersons, and industrialists like Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Sachin Tendulkar, PT Usha, Saina Nehwal, Anil Ambani, and Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut, Ayushmann Khurana, Action Director Rohit Shetty, Madhuri Dixit, Hema Malini, Chirajeevi, Ram charan, and more.
BJP leader LK Advani, a key figure in the Ram Mandir movement, did not partake in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony due to age and health issues.
Followed by a consecration ceremony, Prime Minister Modi revealed a statue of Jatayu at Kuber Tila in Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the Kuber Tila on the Ram temple grounds in Ayodhya, where he led adoration for Lord Shiva. He performed ‘jalabhishek,’ which is the act of offering water on the ‘Shiva linga,’ as well as a ‘parikrama,’ which is the act of circumnavigating the temple.
Guests who attended the temple’s consecration ceremony on Monday received a variety of gifts, including an Ayodhya-themed book, a metal ‘diya,’ a special ‘mala,’ and a Lord Ram written scarf. These things were placed in a bag decorated with a graphic representation of the new temple and a young figure of Lord Ram.
The book, named Ayodhya Dham – The Lord’s Abode, has an antique idol of Ram Lalla on the cover. The ‘mala’ comes with a cloth pouch with the words ‘Uttar Pradesh Tourism’ as its tagline. Additionally, guests received a box including four laddoos, chips, revdi, cashew nuts, and raisins.
