Ayodhya Ram mandir 'pran pratishtha': Are stock markets, banks open today?

The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, a 50-year project of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and long-awaited by many, will take place in the next few minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Ayodhya and will be leading the "pran pratistha" ceremony shortly. On account of this, both the central government and several states have declared a holiday thus several financial institutions remain shut.

Are stock markets closed today?

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) will be closed on Monday, January 22, due to a public holiday announced in Maharashtra for the Ram temple consecration ceremony.

Market activities are set to resume on Tuesday. In the previous trading session, the Nifty 50 closed down 0.23 per cent at 21,571, while the S&P BSE Sensex fell 0.4 per cent to 71,423.65, weighed down by losses in information technology and Hindustan Unilever.

Are all banks closed today?

According to an order issued by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) on January 18, public sector banks and regional rural banks will have a half-day off on January 22 to commemorate the Ram temple consecration ceremony.

Are private banks open today?

Major private sector banks such as HDFC Bank and Axis Bank will remain closed in Uttar Pradesh, with HDFC Bank closing for the entire day in both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

 

Are money markets closed?

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the closure of money markets on Monday due to the "pran pratishtha" ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram mandir. This decision came after the Maharashtra government declared January 22 a public holiday. All transactions and settlements in government securities, foreign exchange, money markets, and Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives on this day will be postponed till Tuesday.

The 3-day variable rate repo auction scheduled earlier is cancelled, and a two-day VRR auction will be conducted on Tuesday. The RBI also mentioned an extra issue each of the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) and Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) with reversal on January 23, 2024.

Rs 2,000 notes exchange facility not available on January 22

On Monday, the facility of exchange or deposit of Rs 2,000 banknotes will not be available at any of the 19 Issue Offices of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) due to the half-day closure. This service is expected to resume on Tuesday.

 

Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya Ram mandir

Ayodhya has geared up for the much-awaited "pran pratishtha" ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in the newly built Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The sacred ceremony, marking the consecration of the deity within the temple's sanctum sanctorum, is set to go down in history as it carries profound cultural and symbolic importance.

Several dignitaries, including Bageshwar leader Dhirendra Shastri, Yoga guru Ramdev, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Sachin Tendlkar, Kailash Satyarthi, and others have reached the Ram temple to attend the grand ceremony.

The main rituals of the consecration ceremony will be officiated by a team of priests led by Varanasi priest Lakshmikant Dixit. Vedic rituals for the "pran pratishtha" ceremony of Ram Lalla began on January 16, a week before the main ceremony. On January 18, the idol of Shri Ram Lalla, carved by renowned Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj, was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Constructed in the traditional Nagara style, the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet, a width of 250 feet, and a height of 161 feet. Supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors, the Mandir is three-storied, with each floor being 20 feet tall. The pillars and walls showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods and goddesses.