It was goosebumps at exactly 12:29 pm on Monday when Ram Lalla’s covered face was revealed to all those present on the newly constructed Ram Mandir premises in Ayodhya. Millions of Ram Bhakts across the globe, hooked to televisions, mobiles, or other screen platforms telecasting live the consecration of the metallic Ashtadhatu carved five-year-old Raghav Ram Lalla, were left spellbound as soon as the conch shells resonated in the temple, marking the conclusion of the “Praan Pratishthaa Karyakram Sampan”.
All the rituals were performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of a host of dignitaries as special invitees on the occasion. Throughout more than an hour, Modi was observed chanting mantras while dressed in traditional dhoti kurta with angavastram and a rudraksha garland, the worship paraphernalia needed for the spiritual moment.
Army helicopters showered flower petals on the newly constructed Janmabhoomi temple as the praan pratishthaa ceremony took place. Celebrations broke out in parts of this Uttar Pradesh temple town, with people singing and dancing.
Modi, who had laid the foundation of the temple almost two years ago in the midst of the Covid pandemic, performed a series of rituals in the “grabha griha” — 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 Ram Lalla.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Later, Modi moved to another location in the complex to address a gathering of about 8,000, including sadhus, individuals associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, and celebrities from fields like entertainment, sports, and industry. As soon as the PM left, the temple was thrown open to these invitees. Hundreds rushed in the garbha griha.
The PM also visited the Kuber Tila shrine, unveiled a statue of the Ramayana figure Jatayu, and showered petals.
The first phase of the temple, built by a trust, has so far cost Rs 1,100 crore. It is expected to open to the public on Tuesday. The new idol depicts Ram at the age of five and was carved from black stone by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj. Fifty traditional musical instruments from across the country were part of a devotional ‘mangal dhwani’ that resonated during the ceremony. Orchestrated by Ayodhya’s celebrated poet Yatindra Mishra, the rendition was supported by New Delhi’s Sangeet Natak Akademi, as reported exclusively by The Pioneer last week.
‘Ramdhun’ played in the streets from early morning as security personnel kept a tight vigil across the Ayodhya districts. Religious fervor gripped Ayodhya, and the city wore a festive look. Chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and traditional songs extolling Lord Ram were heard playing on loudspeakers at every corner. A band from the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) played tunes such as ‘Ram Aayenge,’ ‘Sare Jahan se Achha,’ ‘Raghu pati Raghav Raja Ram,’ and others.
Devotees arrived from several parts of the country to the temple town to be part of the occasion, though the main ceremony was only for the invitees. Lakhs of people watched the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony on television at their homes and in neighborhood temples, becoming part of the historic event held just months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Ceremonial gates depicting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in floral patterns and illumination visible at night added to the aura of the ancient city, which has undergone massive infrastructural growth in the last couple of years. The invitees were presented a ‘Ram patka’ and welcomed with ‘tilak.’ All invitees were given a bell which they rang during the ‘aarti.’
The Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its east-west length is 380 feet, width 250 feet, and height 161 feet. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors. The pillars and walls showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities. The consecration rituals began from the Saryu river banks on January 16 and were completed Monday afternoon.
Temples across the country had announced special festivities as several states declared a half-day holiday. From Washington DC and Paris to Sydney, events were planned in various parts of the world by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, or the Hindu Diaspora.
Along with the scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and the implementation of a uniform civil code, building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has been on the BJP’s agenda for decades. A temple-mosque dispute had simmered over the spot where the 16th-century Babri mosque stood. It is a known fact that the mosque was constructed after the demolition of a temple that existed on the site of Lord Ram’s birthplace. Kar sewaks demolished it on December 6, 1992. After a long-protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court in 2019 ruled in favor of the construction of the temple. It also ordered the allotment of a five-acre plot for building a mosque.
