As the newly inaugurated Ram Temple in Ayodhya was thrown open to the public this morning, a day after the historic consecration ceremony, massive crowds of devotees were seen in front of the temple.
Devotees began gathering at the temple in large numbers as early as 3 am on Tuesday. The gates were opened to the public at 7 am and will remain open till 11:30 am and then again from 2 pm to 7 pm.
The pran pratishtha (consecration) rituals were carried out on Monday, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who prostrated himself before the Ram Lalla idol. The ceremony witnessed the presence of dignitaries, including Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. The event was also attended by scored of politicians, businessmen and celebrities.
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Expressing his emotions on X, PM Modi said, “The extraordinary moment of the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla’s life in Ayodhya Dham is going to leave everyone emotional. It is my great pleasure to be a part of this divine programme. Jai Siya Ram!”
After the completion of the ritual, PM Modi broke his 11-day fast (anushthan) and addressed a gathering of about 7,000 guests, consisting of seers, individuals associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, and celebrities from various fields.
The construction of the Ram Temple comes after a prolonged legal battle that concluded with the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the temple in November 2019. Prime Minister Modi, addressing the nation, declared the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol as the advent of a new era.
The Prime Minister also visited the Kuber Tila and interacted with workers involved in the temple’s construction.
In a powerful and emotional speech after the consecration ceremony, PM Modi said the temple represents peace, patience, harmony, and amity in Indian society. He invoked the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam,’ stating that Ram defines the world as a family.
While the ceremony was broadcast to the nation, senior BJP leaders like JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah watched the event through live streaming. However, Opposition leaders chose to skip the event. The run-up to the consecration ceremony was marred by political sparring between the ruling BJP and the Opposition, with the latter terming it an “RSS-BJP event”.