Page 15 - Ayodhya

Ram temple in Ayodhya decked up with flowers, special lights for mega event

With just two days to go for the consecration ceremony, the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has been decorated with "rich stocks" of flowers and special lights for the mega event, officials said on Saturday. The entire temple town is in the grip of religious fervour or as the locals say, "Ayodhya Rammay ho rahi hai". Sources in the temple trust said "rich stocks" of flowers have been used for the decoration and special floral designs have been made to deck up the temple for the big day. "These are all natural flowers and due to winter can last longer. So they will remain fresh on the day of the consecration ceremony. The fragrance and the aesthetic appeal of these vibrant flowers have lent another layer of divinity to the temple," a source told PTI. He said separate teams were made for floral decoration and illumination work and they are all working in tandem under the guidance of the trust officials. The source said decorative lights used for outer illumination are themed on diya, so

Ram Temple consecration to be star-studded event as many A-listers invited

Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Amjad Ali Khan are among the A-listers from the entertainment and music world who have been invited as state guests for the consecration of the grand Ram Temple here on Monday. The 500+ state guest list, accessed by PTI, features a mix of actors, directors and singers from the showbiz world invited for the event. According to details on the list, Bachchan will fly into Ayodhya in a private chartered plane on Monday for the opening of the 161-feet-tall pink sandstone shrine. The list features Tamil superstar Rajinikanth as well as Telugu mega stars Prabhas, Allu Arjun and Junior NTR. The south film industry will also be represented by Chiranjeevi and Mohanlal. Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn are on the list, which also features Kangana Ranaut, Madhuri Dixit and her husband Shriram Nene. BJP MPS Hema Malini and Sunny Deol also feature in the list of invitees. Anupam Kher, directors Madhur Bhandarkar and Sanjay Leela Bhans

Ram Temple event: Refrain from publishing false content, govt directs media

The government on Saturday issued an advisory to media outlets and social media platforms cautioning them against publishing any false or manipulated content related to the January 22 Ram temple event in Ayodhya. The advisory, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said it was observed that certain unverified, provocative and fake messages were being spread, especially on social media, which can disturb communal harmony and public order. The consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya will be held on January 22 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries in attendance. The advisory asked newspapers, private satellite TV channels and publishers of news and current affairs on digital media to refrain from publishing and telecasting any content that may be false or manipulated or has the potential to disturb communal harmony or public order in the country. "Further, as part of their due diligence obligations, social media platforms are .

Ram temple dominates Ayodhya, new bank office named 'Ramjanmabhoomi' branch

With the consecration ceremony a couple of days away, the whole of Ayodhya is steeped in religious spirit. A new branch of a PSU bank that opened on Thursday in a building along the Ram Path here has been named the 'Ramjanmabhoomi' branch. A redeveloped road that skirts its way off Ram Path, on the way to the Ram temple site, has been named Ramjanmabhoomi Path. The bank's branch office, located in the vicinity, has been beautified with ornate lampposts and canopies with claddings on the side walls while a huge banner mounted on the wall bears an imposing image of the Ram temple along with the bank's name. Near the redeveloped Ayodhya Dham railway station, another PSU bank has set up a huge hoarding that reads 'Ayodhya Nagari mey aapka swagat hai". It depicts silhouettes of the Ram temple, the city skyline and Lord Ram holding his bow. The devotion to the deity is such that even commerce is not untouched by the spiritual feel in the holy city. Images of the grand temple is finding .

Ram Mandir consecration ceremony: Temples across US gear up for festivities

Hundreds of temples dotted across the United States are gearing up to celebrate the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya next week, with thousands of Indian Americans likely to attend a series of events beginning this week. Ayodhya is re-emerging from destruction and neglect, epitomising the eternal nature of Sanatana Dharma. The upcoming consecration at Ram Lalla Mandir after 550 years is bringing immense joy to the city and nearly a billion Hindus across the world, Kalyan Viswanathan, president of the Hindu University of America said in a blog post. The consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya temple wiil be held on January 22. The construction of Lord Ram's temple at Ayodhya Dham, after a wait of 500 years, marks an important day of faith and celebration for Hindus worldwide said Kapil Sharma from the Shri Sita Ram Foundation in Texas, which has organised Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Pran Pratishtha celebration at its temple in Houston. The celebration will begin with the Sundarkand, ..

Rajasthan govt shuts down slaughterhouses, meat shops on January 22

Meanwhile, the Indian government has declared a half-day closure for all Central Government Offices, Central Institutions, and Central Industrial Establishments across the country on Monday, Jan 22

Ram temple event: Ambanis, Bachchan among those on special guest list

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family as well as Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan are among those who feature in a select state guest list of invitees to the consecration of the Ram temple next week. While about 8,000 people are in the long list of invitees, the select list features just a few hundred people, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, bureaucrats and diplomats. According to the list, which PTI has accessed, Bachchan will fly into Ayodhya in a private chartered plane for the opening of the 161-feet tall pink sandstone shrine. From the film industry, the list features actors Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Allu Arjun, Mohanlal, Anupam Kher and Chiranjeevi. Besides, sarod maestro Amjad Ali, lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir and his wife, lyricist and writer Prasoon Joshi, and directors Sanjay Bhansali and Chandraprakash Dwivedi are invited too. Also on the list are billionaire Mukesh Ambani, his mother Kokilaben, wife Neet

From potters to websites, Ram temple frenzy goes beyond street buzz

In a different realm altogether, Gita Press, the world's largest publisher of religious texts, has allowed free downloads of the Ramcharitmanas on its website

Ram Temple inauguration: Trading on NSE to remain closed on Jan 22

Trading on the National Stock Exchange will remain closed on January 22, with the Maharashtra government announcing a holiday in connection with the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, an official said on Friday. The Maharashtra government has declared January 22 as a public holiday. In a circular, the NSE said the currency derivative segment will remain closed on January 22. Earlier in the day, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that money markets will remain closed on January 22.

The other Ayodhya

Amidst the revival of Ayodhya as the Mecca of Hindus, its multicultural history, layered with spirituality and imagination, is being overshadowed by its new champions

TMS Ep611: Flight delays, engineering studies, markets, AI in Ayodhya

Is there a solution to flight delays in fog season? Has engineering lost its shine for students? Will HDFC Bank shares bounce back now? How will AI help surveillance in Ayodhya? All answers here

Ram Temple consecration: Jamia Millia to remain half-day closed on Jan 22

The Jamia Millia Islamia and its schools will remain closed for half-day till 2.30 pm on January 22 due to the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, an official statement said on Thursday. In an official notification, the university said that all its maintained institutions, centres and offices shall observe half-day on Monday on account of Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya. However, the examinations and meetings already scheduled for the day will be held as usual, it added. "The Officiating Vice-Chancellor, JMI, in view of the government of India vide Office Memorandum F.No 12/7/2023 JCA government of India has approved that the university and its maintained institutions/centres/offices including Jamia schools shall remain closed for half day till 2.30 pm on January 22, 2024 on account of Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya," the notification said. All Central government offices across the country will remain closed for half-day on January 22, as per a Personnel Ministr

Ram Mandir LIVE: First photo of Ram Lalla idol installed at temple revealed

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

Facility to exchange, deposit Rs 2K notes to remain closed on Jan 22: RBI

The facility to exchange and deposit Rs 2,000 notes will not be available at the Reserve Bank offices on January 22, the day of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Department of Personnel and Training issued an order for a half-day closure for central government establishment on Monday. Public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions and regional rural banks (RRBs) across the country will remain closed for half day on January 22. "The facility of exchange / deposit of Rs 2000 banknotes will not be available on Monday, January 22, 2024 at any of the 19 Issue Offices of the Reserve Bank of India due to the half-day closure announced by the Government of India," the central bank said in a statement. The facility will resume on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, it added. On May 19 last year, the RBI announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 denomination bank notes from circulation. The total value of Rs 2,000 bank notes in circulation, which amounted to Rs 3.56 la

First photo of Ram Lalla idol from temple's sanctum sanctorum revealed

The image, shared by the BJP leader Sambit Patra, showed a smiling face of Ram Lalla standing with a golden bow and arrow

RBI announces changes to market timing for January 22. Details here

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s announcement came a day after the Centre announced that all central government offices will be closed for half a day

Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: View date, timings and full schedule here

The much awaited consecration ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir planned for Jan 22 denotes a historic moment in India's cultural celebration and a festival of spiritual significance

Ram temple consecration: Tripura govt announces half-day holiday on Jan 22

The Tripura government declared a half-day holiday in the state on January 22 in view of the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya, officials said on Friday. The state government issued a notification late on Thursday night regarding the closure of offices till 2.30 pm on January 22, they said. "On the line of notification of the Centre, the state government has decided to declare holiday in all government offices and institutions to witness the pran pratistha of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya on January 22 till 2.30 pm," Secretariat Administration Department's Deputy Secretary Ashim Saha said in the notification. Central government establishments, public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions and regional rural banks (RRBs) across the country will also remain closed for half a day on January 22.

Chariot from Lord Hanuman's birthplace Kishkindha reaches Ayodhya

A chariot from Lord Hanuman's birthplace Kishkindha, traced in the region of present-day Hampi in Karnataka, has arrived in Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22. Visiting temples across the country, the chariot went to Goddess Sita's birthplace Janakpur in present-day Nepal before arriving in Ayodhya. A group of 100 devotees travelled with the chariot, singing and dancing, raising slogans of "Jai Shree Ram" and waving saffron flags with Lord Ram's pictures. "When thousands of people are heading to Aydohya for the big day of the arrival of Lord Ram, how can Lord Hanuman not be there? We set out for this Rath Yatra and travelled to several places in the last two months. The chariot will be in Ayodhya till January 25," Abhishek Krishnashastri from Sri Hanuman Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, told PTI. "We have come here from Kishkindha to offer our seva (service) to Lord Ram. The chariot has a statue of Lord Ram hugging Hanuman, who is considered

Judges who delivered Ayodhya case verdict invited for Ram mandir event

The invitees also include over 50 jurists, including former chief justices, judges and top lawyers