Ram temple ceremony: Rajinikanth leaves for Ayodhya, Kangana, others reach temple town

New Delhi, Jan 21 (PTI) Actors Kangana Ranaut, Shefali Shah, Pawan Kalyan, and Randeep Hooda were among the Indian cinema personalities who arrived in Ayodhya ahead of the grand Ram temple consecration ceremony.

Veteran star Rajinikanth and music composer Shankar Mahadevan, who are also part of the event's guest list, were spotted at the Lucknow airport on Sunday as they left for the temple town.

While about 8,000 people are in the long list of invitees for Monday's ceremony, the select list features 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges and high priests.

Ranaut on Sunday said it's her "good fortune" to be invited for the ceremony. She met her spiritual guru Rambhadracharya, participated in a yagya and paid a visit to the Hanuman Garhi temple for a clean-up drive here.

The 36-year-old actor, who reached Ayodhya on Saturday, said devotees are waiting for Lord Ram's arrival.

"Many priests are carrying out rituals and reciting verses in the name of Lord Hanuman. The energy here is miraculous. It's my good fortune that I'm getting an opportunity to be part of this ceremony. We all are busy making arrangements to welcome Ram Lalla ji. May Lord Ram bless us. Jai Shri Ram!" she told reporters here.

Shefali Shah, who arrived in Ayodhya with her producer-husband Vipul Shah on Sunday, said they are honoured to be here.

"It (consecration ceremony) is one of the biggest cultural moments that our country and we as Indians can experience. I am just feeling so proud being an Indian. Our culture is so rich but we are pretty unaware of it," she told reporters at the Ayodhya airport.

Pawan Kalyan, actor and Jana Sena Party founder, said "a long-cherished prayer" is finally becoming a reality.

"We are very happy about it. Finally, the nation could see the 'pran pratishtha'. I am very glad that I am a part of this," Kalyan told reporters in Ayodhya.

Talking to the media at the Lucknow airport, Mahadevan said the whole world had been waiting for the Ram temple inauguration.

"We are so happy and excited, and we feel blessed that we (have been) invited as state guests... to be part of the biggest event that happened in the history of India," said Mahadevan, who was accompanied by his wife Sangeeta.

Actor Randeep Hooda, who reached the Lucknow airport on Sunday evening with his actor-wife Lin Laishram, said they are excited for the event and waiting to seek Lord Ram's blessings.

"It's an event long in coming. It's not just religious, it's also a cultural and heritage event. In Haryana, we greet each other with 'Ram Ram' and so, our Ram Lalla has called us... The entire country is talking about this event. I feel very proud and happy," Hooda told reporters.

Aadinath Mangeshkar, who visited Ayodhya in 2022, said he is looking forward to the 'pran prathishtha' or the consecration ceremony tomorrow.

"It's a golden opportunity to be here in the holiest of cities (Ayodhya) for the Lord Ram mandir 'pran pratishtha' ceremony. I am deeply honoured and excited about it.

"I came here one-and-a-half hours ago and there is a huge difference between that Ayodhya and this Ayodhya. Everything has changed but the hospitality of the people here is the same," he told PTI.

Composer Anu Malik said participating in the ceremony was an "emotional moment" for him.

Actor Anupam Kher and filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar were also photographed at the Mumbai airport before flying out to Ayodhya.

Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Amjad Ali Khan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and Anuradha Paudwal, as well as "Ramayan" stars Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia are also among the personalities from the Indian entertainment industry who have been invited for the event. PTI