Ram temple consecration: Diwali-like celebrations in Himachal, Rajasthan; prayers in Kashmir

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday, people across the country celebrated the historic occasion by bursting firecrackers and performing special prayers in the temples.

Himachal Pradesh witnessed a Diwali-like atmosphere as the new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple. Grand celebrations, including various cultural and religious programmes and bhandaras, were organised across the Congress-ruled state with lakhs of devotees taking part. About 4,000 LED screens were installed in temples across Himachal Pradesh for live broadcast of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony from Ayodhya. An 'Akhand Ramayan' recital was organised at a temple devoted to Lord Ram in Shimla.

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday announced a public holiday for Monday so that people can witness the 'Pran Pratishtha'. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said in a post on X that the entire Cabinet will soon visit the temple in Ayodhya.

Rajasthan

Meanwhile, Rajasthan too was in a festive mood on Monday for the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya with temples and houses decked up with flowers, saffron flags and lights while people exchanged wishes on the occasion.

Religious events were organised across the state with bhajan, kirtan and Ramayan recitation performed in temples in many places. Processions were also taken out at different places, including Jaipur.

People decorated their houses with lights while saffron-coloured flags with the image of Lord Ram and the Ram temple were visible atop houses and shops.

Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh on Monday soaked in religious fervour on the occasion with special prayers and rallies organised in various parts of the northeastern state.

In the state capital, markets were closed voluntarily to witness the historic occasion. A large number of private schools in the state also declared a holiday for the occasion. LED screens were put up at various places across the state to live stream the ceremony from Ayodhya, which was attended by senior BJP leaders, ministers and MLAs.

Jharkhand

Spiritual fever gripped Jharkhand on Monday with special prayers being organised in more than 51,000 temples across the state to mark the occasion.

Temples across the state have been bedecked with flowers, lighting lamps, flags and posters. VHP leader Birendra Sahu said, “Religious programmes are taking place at over 51,000 temples in Jharkhand on Monday.” Special rituals, prayers and recitations of the Ramayana verses were also held at the Goddess Chhinnamastika temple at Rajrappa in Ramgarh district.

Jammu and Kashmir

Special prayers were performed at several temples, including the Shankaracharya temple of Srinagar, in Kashmir on Monday to mark the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The devotees from the minuscule Hindu population and the tourists visited the Shankaracharya temple on the Zabarwan Hills to participate in the special prayers organised to mark the occasion. The prayers were followed by a langar for the devotees, they said.

Special prayers were also held at the Hanuman temple on the banks of Jhelum river in Amirakadal area of the city here. The temple has been decorated to mark the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. A havan was also organised at the Sun temple at Mattan in Anantnag district as part of the celebrations.

Kerala

Hymns, verses and songs about Lord Ram reverberated in temples, including the Triprayar Sree Ramaswamy temple in Thrissur district, across the state to mark the occasion on Monday.

Celebrations were held in temples connected with Ramayana across the southern state. People turned up at the Triprayar temple early in the morning and performed various rituals and made offerings to Lord Ram there, the temple’s head priest told TV channels.

Celebrations began in the morning, ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ in Ayodhya, at the Ernakulam Tirumala Devaswom Temple also where devotees hailing from various parts of the country and dressed up in colourful traditional attire danced to songs and verses of Lord Ram. Singing of verses and songs of Lord Ram were also seen at the Thrikkalathoor Sreeramaswamy Temple in Muvattupuzha in Ernakulam district.

(With agency inputs)