LIVE | Ram Lalla consecrated; advent of new era, says PM Modi

5 lakh laddus from MP's Mahakaleshwar temple reach Ayodhya

Five lakh laddus prepared at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city have reached Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on Monday, an official said.

The laddus, weighing about 50 gm each, will be distributed to devotees as prasad on the occasion, he said.

Five trucks, shaped like chariots, decorated in saffron and adorned with pictures of Lord Ram, reached Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh with 250 quintals of laddus at around 10.30 pm on Saturday, Mahakaleshwar temple's assistant administrator Moolchand Junwal told PTI.

“On Sunday morning, we handed over the prasad to the organisation tasked to distribute it to the faithful,” he said.

People greeted the consignment with “Jai Shri Ram” chants along the nearly 1,000 km route from Ujjain to Ayodhya, according to eyewitnesses.

At least 150 temple staffers and people from social organisations were involved in making the laddus over five days in Ujjain, Junwal said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav earlier said that Ujjain has connections with Ayodhya dating back more than 2,000 years.

Flagging off the trucks from Bhopal on January 19, the chief minister said, “Emperor Vikramaditya had built the (earlier) temple in Ayodhya. Lord Ram is returning to ‘garbh griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) after a struggle of 500 years." The temple town of Ayodhya is all set to welcome Lord Ram with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to participate in the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram Mandir on Monday.

The 'Pran Pratishtha' of the idol of Ram Lalla -- the childhood form of Lord Ram -- will be attended by people from all walks of life, including representatives of major spiritual and religious sects of the country, representatives of various tribal communities and prominent personalities. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Over 4,000 Noida cops on alert mode, security up at UP borders

Security was amplified multi-fold with deployment of over 4,000 police personnel across Noida and Greater Noida as vigilance was Sunday ramped up in Gautam Buddh Nagar district, which shares border with Delhi and Haryana.

Monitoring of social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram also increased to keep a check on misinformation or circulation of content which may be adverse for law and order, officials said.

Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh has directed officers to ensure maximum deployment on the ground, including for law and order and traffic duties, in view of the day of Shri Ram Lalla Pran Pratishthan programme in Ayodhya on Monday, a police spokesperson said.

"Accordingly, the entire police commissionerate has been divided into three super zones, 10 zones, 26 sectors. 350 additional police forces and two companies of PAC have been allotted to police stations. For law and order duties, around 4,000 police personnel have been deployed while sniffer dogs, anti-sabotage and bomb disposal squads are checking railway stations, bus stands, metro stations, malls and markets," the spokesperson said.

"The local-raised Pinaka commando team has been kept in a state of readiness to deal with any situation. 150 four-wheelers and 160 two-wheelers and 116 two/four wheelers of Dial 112 have been kept mobile to keep an eye on the situation," the official said.

According to the police, 325 traffic personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth vehicular movement across Noida and Greater Noida on Monday.

"Also, suspicious persons and vehicles are being checked at 20 spots on the inter-state border," the police spokesperson said.

Further, police personnel have been deployed at all religious places in the district.

"In order to curb any evil efforts of anti-social elements, 60 teams have been formed which will monitor situation near religious places from 3 am to 6 am," the official added.

Police have also geared up to tackle any mischief or attempt for it via social media and have warned action against offenders.

"Those spreading rumours on social media are being monitored through the Social Media Cell. Suspicious activities are also being monitored through the surveillance team," the spokesperson said. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Over 1.5 lakh diyas lit during 'deepotsav' in Dehradun

More than 1.5 lakh 'diyas' were lit during ‘deepotsav’ held in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun on Sunday, a day before the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the programme held at Parade Ground here and also lit diyas and sang devotional songs on Lord Ram.

He said, “After a long wait, the auspicious occasion of Ram Lalla being seated at his birthplace has come and we all will be witnesses of this fortunate moment.” “We have participated in this grand festival of lights by the grace of Lord Ram,” he said.

Dhami said that the path for building Ram temple has been paved under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also shared a video of the programme on social media.

Dhami also made flower rangoli with his family at his residence and lit diyas. He urged people of the state to celebrate Ram Lalla’s ‘Pran Pratistha’ with enthusiasm at their homes. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Adityanath praises Lord Ram sand sculpture by Sudarsan Pattnaik, takes selfie with it

Ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday praised a sand sculpture of Lord Ram by Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik and and took a selfie with the artwork here.

The "Pran Pratishtha" of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple will be held on Monday.

The artwork has been awarded the certificate of the largest sand sculpture of Lord Ram by the World Records Book of India, according to a statement issued by the state government. The chief minister presented the certificate to the Director of the State Lalit Kala academy, Shraddha Shukla, on Sunday, it said.

The sculpture was made at a sand art camp, which was organised by the Uttar Pradesh culture department's academy, as part of activities to celebrate the Ram temple event.

Puri-resident Pattnaik along with members of his team, including Santosh Kumar Nayak, Bulu Mohanty, Jitendra, Pramod Biswal, Maheshwar, Kenny Kawasi and Vishbar Patnaik, made the sculpture.

The sculpture measures 55-feet in length, 35-feet in width and 23-feet in height. 

(With inputs from agencies)

'Pran Pratishtha' | Modi to participate around noon on Monday: 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 said.

The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir is constructed in traditional Nagara style – 380 feet in length (east-west), 250 feet wide and 161 feet tall.

The temple is supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods, and goddesses.

“In the main sanctum sanctorum at ground floor, the childhood form of Bhagwan Shri Ram (the idol of Shri Ramlalla) has been placed,” the statement said.

The main entrance to the temple is situated on the eastern side, which can be approached by ascending 32 stairs through the ‘Singh Dwar’.

There are a total of five halls in the temple - Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prathana Mandap and Kirtan Mandap.

Near the temple is the Sita Koop, a historic well dating back to the ancient era, the statement said.

In the southwestern part of the temple complex, at Kuber Tila, the ancient Shiv temple has been restored along with the installation of a statue of Jatayu.

The foundation of the temple has been constructed with a 14-metre-thick layer of roller-compacted concrete (RCC), giving it the appearance of artificial rock. No iron is used anywhere in the temple, according to the statement.

For protection against ground moisture, a 21-foot-high plinth has been constructed using granite.

The temple complex has a sewage treatment plant, water treatment plant, water supply for fire safety and an independent power station.

The temple has been constructed employing the country's traditional and indigenous technology, the statement said. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Ram Lalla idol bathed with water from pilgrimage sites

The idol of Rama Lalla was bathed with "medicated water and holy water" carried in 114 kalash (urns) from various pilgrimage sites across the country on Sunday, on the sixth day of rituals for the consecration ceremony of the Shri Ram Temple.

According to a press statement, the ceremony, which involved worship and havan, continued till late in the evening.

In the ritual hall of the under-construction Ram temple, the old idol of Lord Rama is also being worshipped.

The worship was attended by temple trust member Anil Mishra and his family, and Vishva Hindu Parishad national president Dr Ram Narain Singh.

The rituals for the consecration ceremony had begun on January 16, starting from the Saryu River.

The arrival of the idol of Lord Ram in the temple complex took place on January 17. 

(With inputs from agencies)

Confident that Ram Mandir consecration will take India to new heights: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 21) said that the "historic moment" of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya will enrich the Indian heritage and culture and take the country's development journey to new heights.

Modi's remarks came in response to President Droupadi Murmu's two-page letter to him ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' at the Ram temple.

Tagging the president's letter, Modi said in a post in Hindi on X, "Honorable @rashtrapatibhvn ji, Thank you very much for your good wishes on the auspicious occasion of Ram Lalla's consecration in Ayodhya Dham." He added, "I am confident that this historic moment will further enrich Indian heritage and culture and take our development journey to new heights." Murmu in her letter to the PM said that the nationwide celebratory atmosphere is an uninhibited expression of India's eternal soul and start of a new cycle in the country's resurgence.

Murmu complimented PM Modi ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha'.

".... as you prepare yourself to go for 'Pran Pratishtha' of Prabhu Shri Ram's 'murti' (idol) at the new temple built at his birthplace in Ayodhya, I can only contemplate the unique civilisational journey that will be accomplished with each step taken by you in the hallowed precincts," she said.

Murmu in her letter also referred to the 11-day rigorous 'anushthan' the prime minister has undertaken, and said that it is not only a sacred ritual but also a supreme spiritual act of sacrifice and submission to Lord Ram.

"We all are fortunate to witness the commencement of a new cycle in the resurgence of our nation," she said. 

Confident that Ram Mandir consecration will take India to new heights: PM Modi(heading)