Another grand pran pratishtha at Ayodhya's Ram temple, this time with Yogi front & centre
PM Modi had led the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla (the child form of Lord Ram) on the ground floor of the under-construction temple 22 January 2024, the eve of the Lok Sabha elections. The event, among others, was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Adityanath.
According to officials in the chief minister's office, it was just a 'coincidence' that the 'muhurat' for the Pran Pratishtha fell on Adityanath's birthday. 'The muhurat was finalised by the temple trust,' an official said.
Lucknow: Almost 17 months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the Ram Lalla consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led a Ram Darbar 'Pran Pratishtha' on the temple's first floor Thursday, a day that also marked his 53rd birthday.
The construction of the temple's first floor has since been completed, and on Thursday, Adityanath took part in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony for the idols there.
While the ground floor was opened to the public after the consecration ceremony, sources said the Ram Darbar on the first floor will not open just yet so the construction on other parts of the temple goes on smoothly.
The sources said the Ram Darbar is likely to open to the public around Diwali this year. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai has said the temple's construction is expected to be completed next year.
While the ground-floor sanctum sanctorum houses an idol of the child form of Lord Ram, the Ram Darbar on the first floor features exquisitely sculpted idols of Raja Ram (King Ram) and Goddess Sita seated on a throne. The idols of Lord Ram's brothers—Bharat, Lakshman, and Shatrughna—as well as his devotee Hanuman, complete the Darbar.
The chief minister also visited several other newly constructed temples within the main complex and took part in consecration ceremonies there. The event marked the final day of the three-day Pran Pratishtha celebrations that began 3 June.
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More temples and idols
Apart from the Ram Darbar, the chief minister participated in the Pran Pratishtha of six additional temples within the Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex.
Temple trust functionaries said that based on Vastu Shastra, Lord Shiva's temple has been built in the northeast (Ishan) corner of the complex, Lord Ganesha's temple in the southeast (Agni) corner, Lord Hanuman's temple midway along the southern side, Lord Surya's temple in the southwest (Nairitya) corner, Goddess Bhagwati's temple in the northwest (Vayavya) corner, and Goddess Annapurna's temple in the middle of the northern side.
The idols consecrated in the temple are made of pristine white marble.
The chief minister also proposed developing theme-based gardens in Ayodhya dedicated to revered figures such as Maa Janaki, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughna, Hanuman, Sugriva, Jambavan, Mata Shabari, and Nishad Raj.
Later, speaking at a public event in Ram Katha Park, Adityanath said Ayodhya's reputation has now been established as a global symbol of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' — a city that treats its guests as gods.
Ram devotees faced 'bullets and lathi charges here in the past, but today, they are welcomed with showers of flower petals and served pure RO water.'
Speaking on Ayodhya's transformation, Adityanath said the city, once plagued by erratic power supply, water shortages, and cleanliness issues, has now emerged as a clean and beautiful spiritual destination.
He also spoke about the greatly increased tourist inflow since the temple's consecration last year. 'Earlier, the number of devotees barely reached a few lakhs, but Ayodhya welcomed more than 16 crore pilgrims last year alone — a testament to the Municipal Corporation's improved management and facilities.'
He described Prime Minister Modi as the 'Bhagirath of modern India,' crediting him with the success of the Namami Gange campaign.
'Before 2014, the Ganga was severely polluted due to the unplanned and unscientific activities of previous governments. But through the Namami Gange programme, the river has regained its purity and uninterrupted flow. Over 66 crore devotees witnessed this during the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj,' he said.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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