The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday (January 22), an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said it marked the advent of a new era.Lakhs of people watched the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony on television at their homes and in neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the historic event held just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.Army helicopters showered flower petals on the newly constructed Janmabhoomi temple as the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony took place. And celebrations broke out in parts of this Uttar Pradesh temple town with people singing and dancing."Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our Ram has arrived. Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple," Modi said in his address that followed the consecration, which also marked the inauguration of the temple.He recalled there were times when some people said the country would be on fire if the Temple was built."I would urge those people to rethink. Ram is not fire but energy. Ram is not a dispute, but a solution. Ram is not just ours but belongs to everyone. Ram is not just the present, but eternity," he said.The PM performed a series of rituals in the ‘grabhagriha’ – the sanctum sanctorum -- with the ‘pran pratishtha’ taking place during the 84-second 'Abhijeet muhurta'. At the end, the PM prostrated himself before the 51-inch idol that depicts the child Ram.The ceremony took place in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.Top Opposition leaders skipped the ceremony.Follow this space for more live updates
The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday (January 22), an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said it marked the advent of a new era.Lakhs of people watched the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony on television at their homes and in neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the historic event held just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.Army helicopters showered flower petals on the newly constructed Janmabhoomi temple as the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony took place. And celebrations broke out in parts of this Uttar Pradesh temple town with people singing and dancing."Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our Ram has arrived. Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple," Modi said in his address that followed the consecration, which also marked the inauguration of the temple.He recalled there were times when some people said the country would be on fire if the Temple was built."I would urge those people to rethink. Ram is not fire but energy. Ram is not a dispute, but a solution. Ram is not just ours but belongs to everyone. Ram is not just the present, but eternity," he said.The PM performed a series of rituals in the ‘grabhagriha’ – the sanctum sanctorum -- with the ‘pran pratishtha’ taking place during the 84-second 'Abhijeet muhurta'. At the end, the PM prostrated himself before the 51-inch idol that depicts the child Ram.The ceremony took place in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.Top Opposition leaders skipped the ceremony.Follow this space for more live updates