Page 13 - Ayodhya

Ayodhya sees infrastructure push amid stagnant income, tourism numbers

An airport, railway station, connecting highways, roads, water, and power projects are among the initiatives announced ahead of the Ram Mandir temple consecration ceremony on January 22

'Pran Pratishtha': Modi to participate around noon on Monday, says PMO

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in the newly-built Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya around noon on Monday and will address a gathering present for the occasion, his office said. The historic 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony will be attended by representatives of all major spiritual and religious sects of the country, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. People from all walks of life including representatives of various tribal communities will also attend the ceremony, it said. Earlier in October, 2023, the prime minister had received the invitation from Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Trust for the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. The prime minister will interact with 'shramjeevis' (workers) associated with the construction of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir. He will also visit the Kuber Tila, where an ancient Shiv temple has been restored. He will also perform 'pooja' and 'darshan' at the restored temple, the statement ...

Stones pelted on Ram 'shobha yatra' in Mehsana; cops fire teargas

Police fired teargas shells after stones were pelted on a "shobha yatra" (procession) of Lord Ram in Gujarat's Mehsana district on Sunday, an official said. The incident took place in Kheralu town on the eve of the idol consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and three teargas shells had to be fired to control the situation, Inspector General of Police Virendrasingh Yadav said. "Fifteen persons have been rounded up after a combing operation at the site. Police personnel accompanying the shobha yatra took immediate action to avert any (further) incident and brought the situation under control," the IG said. No one seems to have been seriously injured in the stone pelting, he added. The situation at the spot is peaceful and police patrolling has been intensified in the area, Yadav told reporters.

On eve of Ram temple ceremony, BJP targets leaders of opposition parties

On the eve of consecration of Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya, the BJP on Sunday targeted a host of opposition leaders for their alleged insult of 'Sanatan Dharma' and demeaning references to the Ram temple. The BJP posted various past comments of leaders like Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Mamata Banerjee of the TMC, Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK and Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party and asked people to identify these 'adharmi' (irreligious) people. The Congress leaders had questioned the existence of Lord Ram, it said and also accused RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav of defaming Ram temple for vote bank. Before the Ram temple construction, leaders like Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav and Kejriwal made statements questioning and mocking it. They are now resorting to deception, the BJP claimed in a series of posts on X. They "hate" Ram, have opposed the Ram temple and insulted Sanatan dharma, the ruling

Ram temple's sanctum sanctorum to be decorated with flowers from Chennai

Rich fragrance-bearing flowers brought from Chennai will be used for decorating the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday night, an official said. Sanjay Dhawalikar, head of the floral decoration team, also said that over 3,000 kgs of flowers of more than 20 varieties have been used for decoration of the grand structure ahead of the consecration ceremony on January 22. The 'Pran Pratishtha' at the Ram temple will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other dignitaries. Over 7,000 guests are slated to attend the mega ceremony in the temple town which has been decked up and many buildings illuminated to add to the aura of the holy city. "About 85-90 per cent work on decoration of the temple complex has been completed. Over 3,000 kgs of various varieties of flowers brought from different parts of India, have been used for it," Dhawalikar told PTI here. The flowers include chrysanthemum, gerbera, orchid, and exotic ones like anthurium and lilium,

Ram Mandir LIVE: Delhi govt schools to be closed in first half of Jan 22

Ayodhya Ram Mandir News Live Updates: Catch all the latest updates on the consecration ceremony here

For Ayodhya residents, 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony is 'tryst with divinity'

"I did not want to take the photograph of Lord Ram but etch his image in my heart instead," said Amit Pathak, a resident of Tulsinagar in Ayodhya, a day ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram temple. The residents of Ayodhya are awaiting their "tryst with divinity" on January 22. While talking to PTI, the voice of Pathak, whose house is around one kilometre from the newly-constructed Ram temple, choked with emotions. Pathak works in Lucknow and he had made up his mind that he would be in Ayodhya on January 22. "I was mentally prepared to walk down to Ayodhya in case I did not get any bus or any other vehicle. However, by the grace of Prabhu Shri Ram, I got a bus and I arrived in Ayodhya on Friday itself," he said, and added that he is falling short of words to express himself. "When the Babri mosque was razed, I was two years old. My mother used to take me to the Ram temple. Now, after January 22 ceremony, I will take my mother to the newly-constructed Ram temple," Path

Ram Mandir inauguration: Telcos enhance network connectivity in Ayodhya

DoT and other central, state, and municipal departments ensured speedy approvals in providing space for towers, movement of material, and manpower, thus enabling immediate execution, Vi said

Ram temple event: AI-based CCTV cameras, drones deployed to ensure security

A multi-layer security cover is in place in Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple, with 10,000 CCTV cameras and drones equipped with artificial intelligence keeping an eye on the movement of people and police personnel in plain clothes deployed at the venue. From Dharam Path and Ram Path here, which are witnessing a huge influx of devotees, to bylanes of the Hanumangarhi area and Asharfi Bhavan road, policemen can be seen patrolling the streets. Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) personnel had also conducted patrolling in Ayodhya on Saturday. "Ayodhya is now under the watchful eye of drones equipped with artificial intelligence, alongside the utilisation of anti-mine drones, as part of the concerted efforts to enhance security in the temple town," a senior police official said. While AI-supported drones are conducting aerial surveillance across Ayodhya, anti-mine drones are simultaneously inspecting the ground for mines or explosives, he said. Operating at

Ram temple consecration ceremony: VIPs to be served 'mahaprasad'

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has got 'mahaprasad' prepared for the VIPs coming to attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday. More than 20,000 packets of 'mahaprasad', which has been prepared with pure ghee, five types of dry fruits, sugar, gram flour ('besan') is being handed over to the Trust for the guest after the ceremony, an official said. 'Mahaprasad' is being prepared by Gujarat's Bhagwa Sena Bharti Garvi and Sant Seva Sansthan under the guidance of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. "We have been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing 'mahaprasad' along with making arrangements for the stay and food of the saints," said Kamal Bhai Rawal, the organisation's national president. He said the 'mahaprasad' has been prepared with more than 5,000 kg of ingredients by a team of about 200 people. Rawal said the 'mahaprasad' has been "prepared from pure desi ghee, gram flour, sugar and five dry fruits". "Special care has also been taken f

Ram temple event: Ayodhya gripped by religious fervor, festive atmosphere

Invitees to the "Pran Pratishtha" consecration ceremony at the Ram temple started arriving Sunday in Ayodhya -- once a sleepy town now resplendent with new infrastructure and gripped by heightened religious fervour on the eve of a seminal event in India's political and religious history. The town, about 140 km west of Lucknow, was bedecked with multi-coloured flowers as recordings of 'Ram dhun' played from loudspeakers and townsfolk dressed as Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman paraded down the streets followed by delirious devotees, and news camera crews. "Ayodhya Ram maye ho gayi hai (Ayodhya is immersed in devotion of Lord Ram)," said Shailendra Gupta, who runs a fabric store on Ram Path, the main street of the town that runs past the Ram temple. "And tomorrow is a day when Hindus across the world will rejoice." Skittish policemen kept order, urging cars to stay mobile. But they could only honk repeatedly to part the sea of pilgrims on Ram Path, many with "Jai Shri Ram" painted

Ram temple consecration: Voda Idea enhances network capacity in Ayodhya

Telecom operator Vodafone Idea on Sunday said it has enhanced network infrastructure and capacity across all major areas of Ayodhya city, ahead of consecration of the Ram temple. Vodafone Idea users can expect elevated and consistent connectivity experience like high-speed data transfer, clear voice calls and seamless video streaming, the company said in a release. Covering all major points across the city, Vodafone Idea has added new sites and upgraded and reframed L2100 spectrum capacity across the nooks and corners of the city including Ayodhya Railway Station, Ram Mandir Campus, the airport, railway station and the connecting highways to Lucknow and Varanasi. This has been done with the support of DoT, the Government and local authorities such as Ayodhya Development Authority, Department of Public Work Department, Airport Authority, Police, the company said. Department of Telecom and other departments ensured speedy approvals in providing space for towers, movement of material

Ram temple consecration: Delhi Police beef up security at temples, markets

A multi-level security cover and extensive CCTV surveillance have been put in place at prominent temples and different markets of the national capital for celebrations to mark the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Delhi police officials said on Sunday. "No one will be allowed to breach law and order. Multi-level security checkpoints have been put up at temples and markets. The night patrolling staffers are directed to check hotels, guest houses, and dharamshalas," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Joy Tirkey. The 'Pran Pratishtha' of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh will be held on Monday. Tirkey said members of temple trusts were called for a meeting on Sunday to review the security measures. "Several temples like Prachin Hanuman Mandir, Jhandewalan Mandir, Birla Mandir and Kalka Ji temple will celebrate the 'Pran Pratishtha'. We are expecting high footfall at these temples. Paramilitary forces will also be deployed and will be on standby for any

Ayodhya Ram mandir: History, controversy, inauguration, attendees, and more

The much-awaited Ram mandir' Pran Pratishtha' ceremony is set to take place on January 22. Here is all you need to know about the Ayodhya temple

Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha': Aiims Bhubaneswar declares half-day on Jan 22

However, all critical clinical services will continue their operations

On-ground campaigns to screening, corporates join Ram Temple fervour

Many companies are joining the bandwagon of Ram Temple consecration, from declaring a contribution in lighting at the complex to planning to screen the event live on multiplexes. Some companies are donating a portion of their profit from sales in the region during the inauguration period to distribute special foods across the city of Ayodhya. Several companies operating in consumer space have activated on-ground marketing campaigns by putting up large numbers of hoardings, gate branding, shopboards, and kiosks offering products to devotees, arriving in the holy city for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The Pran Pratistha' ceremony commenced on 16 January and will continue till 22 January. Leading multiplex operator PVR INOX has announced live screening of Ram Mandir inauguration during the consecration ceremony on its 160 cinema screens across 70-plus cities on January 22, 2024. "It will be a privilege for us to be able to connect the devotees with this celebration in a truly unique manner

Ram temple consecration: Goa casinos to remain shut for 8 hours on Jan 22

The operations of all casinos in Goa will remain shut for eight hours from 8 am on Monday as a mark of respect for the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, an official from a casino management company said on Sunday. There are six off shore casinos and several on shore casinos operating in Goa. The off shore casino vessels are anchored in the Mandovi river near state capital Panaji. It has been decided that all the casinos will close their operations from 8 am to 4 pm on Monday, Shrinivas Nayak, director of the Majestic Pride group which operates some of these casinos, told PTI. "When everyone is keeping their businesses closed and holidays have been declared to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event, why should we not do it," he said. The Goa government has already declared a holiday on Monday for all government, semi-government and autonomous bodies on the occasion of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya city of Uttar Pradesh.

Grand musical rendition with 50 instruments planned for Ram Mandir event

Fifty traditional musical instruments from across the country will be part of a devotional "Mangal Dhwani" that will resonate for two hours ahead of Monday's consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya. Orchestrated by Ayodhya's celebrated poet Yatindra Mishra, the grand musical rendition has been supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. According to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust in charge of construction and management of the temple, the musical programme will begin at 10 am. The consecration ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm. The instruments include pakhawaj, flute and dholak from Uttar Pradesh; veena from Karnataka; algoja from Punjab; sundari from Maharashtra; mardala from Odisha; santoor from Madhya Pradesh; pung from Manipur; nagada and kali from Assam; and tambura from Chhattisgarh. There will also shehnai from Delhi, ravanahatha from Rajasthan, shrikhol and sarod from West Bengal, ghatam from Andhra Pradesh, sitar from ..

Ram mandir consecration: Timeline of dispute, judgement and key moments

Here is a timeline of events explaining the centuries-long Ram mandir-Babri masjid land dispute in Ayodhya

'Rammay' Ayodhya set for consecration ceremony, temple town decked up

The much-awaited Ram temple consecration will be held here on Monday in a grand ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals, following which the shrine will be opened for the public a day later. The "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm. The prime minister will then address a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue. Lakhs of people are expected to watch the event live on TV and online platforms as BJP-ruled states and Odisha have declared a holiday while the central government has announced a half-day off. As authorities made final preparations in a decked-up Ayodhya, considered the birthplace of Lord Ram, temples across the country and abroad have announced special festivities to mark the occasion. From Washington DC to Paris to Sydney, events have been planned in various parts of the world on January 22. These programmes are either being organised by the Vishwa .