Page 29 - Ayodhya

PM to attend idol consecration at Ram Temple in Ayodhya: UP CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the consecration of the idol at the Ram Temple coming up in this city in January. Addressing a public meeting here, he said development projects worth Rs 32,000 crore are now on in Ayodhya, and no other city in the country can match the scale of development here. The aim is to transform Ayodhya into one of the most beautiful cities of the world, a state government statement quoting him said. When one of the key milestones, the installation of Ram Lalla in the new temple takes place in January "after a wait of 500 years", Ayodhya's significance on a global scale will increase, he said, adding that the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend the event. Ram Lalla is the idol of Lord Ram, in his five-year-old avatar. "Ayodhya holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people. The people have a strong sense of Lord Ram's presence in their lives, and the construction of the temple

Ayodhya is one of top priorities of my govt. says UP CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that the development of Ayodhya is one of the top priorities of his government. The CM, who reached Ayodhya on a two-day visit to take stock of the progress in the construction of the Ram temple, remarked "The people of the country and the world are eager to see a 'Divya, Bhavya, Navya Ayodhya.' We have to ensure that every devotee/tourist visiting Ayodhya goes back with a special sense of peace, contentment and joy." The overall development of 'Dharmanagari' Ayodhya is one of the top priorities of the government in line with the vision of the Prime Minister, an official release said quoting the CM. Reviewing the work, he directed police to deal with the common public, tourists, and pilgrims with sensitivity, and maintain law and order in Ayodhya. The CM visited Hanumangarhi to offer prayers and also inspected the construction work of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. "Every single project is important. It is necessary

Ayodhya Ram Temple phase 1 in last lap, ground floor to be ready by Diwali

The ground floor of the three-storey Ram Temple in Ayodhya is in its final stages and the work on ancillary structures is going on in full swing for their completion by October this year, the temple authorities said on Monday. "The progress (in construction) of the ground floor of the Ram Temple was reviewed recently by senior members of the trust, including chairman of construction committee Nripendra Misra," according to a statement. Engineering teams of Larsen & Toubro and Tata Consulting Engineers and representatives of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust participated in the review of the construction work, it added. "Shri Ram Temple, Ayodhya, enters final ground floor construction phase.... The construction work on infrastructure buildings is in full swing for completion by October 2023," the statement said. The progress of the construction work is monitored on a daily basis by senior functionaries and actual issues are addressed, it added. The committee said that after

From waste management to multi-level parking, Ayodhya gets a civic makeover

The construction of the Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya will completely transform the holy city

Permission denied for Brij Bhushan's 'maha rally' in Ayodhya on June 5

The Ayodhya district administration has denied permission to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to hold a rally here on June 5, an official said on Friday. Singh, the BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, has been accused of sexually abusing female grapplers. Circle Officer (Ayodhya) SP Gautam said in view of other programmes scheduled on the World Environment Day on June 5, the permission sought by BJP councillor Chamela Devi on behalf of Singh has been denied. Singh, in a Facebook post, said he has postponed the 'Jan Chetna Maharally' at the Ram Katha Park for "a few days" due to the ongoing police probe into the wrestlers' allegation against him. Prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, have been holding protests since April 23 accusing Singh of sexual exploitation. Singh is the BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.

Ayodhya seers to rally in support of WFI chief accused of sexual harassment

A group of seers here has announced a rally next week in support of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexually harassing women grapplers. The seers said they will also protest against the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which they claim "has many loopholes and defective clauses". The country's top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, have accused Singh, a BJP MP who heads the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), of sexual harassment and are demanding his arrest. The seers said that they will hold the rally at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya on June 5. "We the seers of Ayodhya and those from other religious places of the country will hold the rally in favour of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh," said Mahant Satyendra Das. "We will also oppose the POCSO Act as it has got many loopholes and defective clauses," he said. Subhash Singh, a close associate and personal assistant of Brij Bhushan Shara

Ram temple to likely open in January 2024, infra works expedited in Ayodhya

The Uttar Pradesh government has expedited infrastructure works in Ayodhya, including expansion of its airport and railway station, as the city prepares for the opening of the Ram temple in January next year, according to a statement. Work is also in progress on the Ram Path, a 13-km road from Sahadatganj to Naya Ghat, it said. The outline for the construction of the Ramjanaki Path and the Bhakti Path is also ready, the statement issued in Lucknow said. The airport and the railway station are also being expanded, it added. These road corridors are important as these will facilitate the movement of devotees to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi and the Hanuman Garhi temple, the statement said. The width of the Ram Janmabhoomi Path will be 30 metres and the width of the Bhakti Path will be 14 metres, it said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has invited people to come for the Ram temple's opening, it said and added that he is reviewing the progress of different works regularly. In Uttarakhand'

Nepal's ex-King offers prayers at Ram Janmabhoomi in UP's Ayodhya

Former king of Nepal Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah, who is on a visit to India, on Sunday offered prayers to Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi here. Shah also oversaw the construction of the Ram temple and offered prayers at Hanumangarhi temple. He also paid a visit to the banks of river Saryu at 'Ram ki Paidi'. "Shah, while on a tour to Uttar Pradesh, expressed his desire to visit Ayodhya. Then on the instructions of the state government, arrangements were made for him. He arrived in Ayodhya with his wife and family as a state guest," District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said. Shah stayed for some time at Circuit House and then visited Hanumangarhi temple and Ram Janmabhoomi amid tight security, he added.

BJP wins big in Ayodhya-Mathura-Varanasi municipal polls amid makeover

The makeover of religious cities, including Ayodhya and Mathura, along with the push to religious tourism, has already reaped rich dividends for the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh urban local body polls: BJP wins Ayodhya mayor election

The ruling BJP retained the mayoral seat in the temple town of Ayodhya with party candidate Girish Pati Tripathi defeating his nearest rival Ashish of the Samajwadi Party by a margin of 35,638 votes. Tripathi bagged 77,494 votes while All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate Rehan secured the third position pocketing 15,107 votes. BSP candidate Ram Murti got 12,852 votes while Congress' Pramila Rajput bagged 4,084 votes, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). During the campaigning for the urban local body polls, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had targeted the opposition Samajwadi Party, saying, "Any devotee of Ram emerging victorious in Ayodhya in this festival of democracy will create a good impression. But if the person who fired at the devotees of Ram gets votes, it (will) send a wrong message." In the 2017 urban local bodies polls, Ayodhya had elected its first mayor -- Rishikesh Upadhyay of the BJP. The urban local body polls were held

Modelled on Disneyland, 'Ramaland' in Ayodhya to tell tales of Ram

Marquee hotels making a beeline; Saryu cruise is in the works

Hospitality industry flocks to Ayodhya as religious tourism gains momentum

Hospitality industry is flocking to Ayodhya as religious tourism in India witnesses accelerated growth and the upcoming Ram Temple is adding another attraction to the historical site. From leading 5-star brands like the Taj, Radisson and ITC Hotels to budget players such as OYO, companies lining up to open new hotels there have their share in the 25,000 rooms envisaged in future by the Uttar Pradesh government. Tata Group hospitality firm Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) plans to open two new properties, and Radisson also has a similar plan. Another major player, ITC Hotels is also exploring opportunities in Ayodhya to cater to increased demand that is projected to reach 4 crore visitors annually by 2031 under the Ayodhya Master Plan 2031, up from 2 crore visitors at present. At the other end of the spectrum, OYO plans to add 50 new properties -- 25 homestays and 25 small and medium hotels with 10 to 20 rooms each -- in Ayodhya in 2023 under a collaboration with Ayodhya Development

Deliberations underway on date of placement of Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya

A two-day meeting of the Ram temple construction committee is underway in Ayodhya on the Ram Janmabhoomi premises. The meeting that began on Friday is scheduled to be attended by committee chairman Nripendra Mishra, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra General Secretary Champat Rai, office bearers of the Trust, and engineers of Larsen & Toubro. The stakeholders are meeting to decide the date of placing of the idol of Ram Lalla in the original sanctum sanctorum. Apart from it, they will also discuss the carving of a new idol of Lord Rama. Seers from Kashi have also suggested some dates for the installation of the idol. The Trust may announce the actual date in the last week of May on the occasion of the birthday of the Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, sources said. The event in Ayodhya is likely to see the presence of senior seers and many national leaders.

Deliberations on date of placement of Ram lalla idol begin in Ayodhya

A two-day meeting of the Ram temple construction committee began in Ayodhya on Friday at Ram Janmabhoomi premises. The meeting is scheduled to be attended by committee chairman Nripendra Mishra, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra General Secretary Champat Rai, office bearers of the Trust, and engineers of Larsen & Toubro. The stakeholders are meeting to decide the date of placing of the idol of Ram Lalla in the original sanctum sanctorum. Apart from it, they will also discuss the carving of a new idol of Lord Rama. Seers from Kashi have also suggested some dates for the installation of the idol. The Trust may announce the actual date in the last week of May on the occasion of the birthday of the Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, sources said. The event in Ayodhya is likely to see the presence of senior seers and many national leaders.

Credit for Ram Temple in Ayodhya goes to PM Modi, Amit Shah: Gujarat CM

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should be given credit for the ongoing construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and maintained the two senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have done a lot in preserving the country's culture and faith. Patel said several agitations took place in the past for a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Ram in Uttar Pradesh, where a mega temple dedicated to the deity is coming up. He was addressing a gathering at a "Ram Katha" (recitation of life story of Lord Ram) organised by Vishv Umiyadham in the Nikol area of the city on Thursday night. "We all know how many agitations took place in the past for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The temple will be ready by 2024. We should give credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for that. They contributed a lot in preserving our faith and culture," said the CM. Vishv Umiyadham i

Tata Group's IHCL debuts in Ayodhya, signs deal to build 2 luxury hotels

With the addition of these two, IHCL will have 19 hotels across Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta, and Ginger brands across Uttar Pradesh including nine others that are currently under development

Oyo to open 50 properties in Ayodhya, places big bets on religious cities

There has been a consistent rise in the number of tourists visiting Ayodhya over the last few years as the city infrastructure is getting rejuvenated

Saffron flag will be unfurled all over Maha in 2024: CM Shinde in Ayodhya

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the ideology of his party and that of the BJP is the same and they will unfurl the saffron flag all over the state next year. "Our party's role is clear. The Shiv Sena has an alliance with the BJP. Our ideology, which is Hindutva, is the same. We will go to our state with new energy from Ayodhya and serve the people. In 2024, the Shiv Sena and the BJP's 'bhagva' (saffron flag) will be unfurled in the entire state," Shinde said while addressing a press conference here. The Lok Sabha election as well as the Maharashtra Assembly polls are due next year. Without naming anyone, the Maharashtra chief minister said there are a few people who are "allergic" to Hindutva because if it (Hindutva) reaches every household in the country, their "shop" will be closed. Shinde is on his maiden visit to Ayodhya after becoming the Maharashtra chief minister in June last year. He has been accompanied to the temple town in Utt

Those raising doubt on Ram temple construction shown way home: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said those raising doubts about the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya were shown their way home as the process has started and the work is in full swing. After paying obeisance to Ramlalla and overseeing the construction work of the temple, Shinde said he is happy that the dream of "Hindu Hriday Samrat" Balasaheb Thackeray and crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled. "Everyone used to wonder when the construction work would start. Some used to say 'mandir wahin banayenge, par tarikh nahi batayenge' (the temple will be built there, but the dates will not be told). But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got the work started and the dream of crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled.... Those asking for the dates have also been shown their way home," Shinde, who has been accompanied by thousands of Shiv Sainiks on his maiden visit to Ayodhya as the chief minister, said. His supporters were seen carrying saffron flags with the Shiv ..

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde to visit Ayodhya with Shiv Sena leaders today

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with fellow Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs, will visit Ayodhya on Sunday