Ayodhya’s transformation reflected in continuous process of cultural awakening: Champat Rai

The transformation of Ayodhya is not just reflected in its development, but also in a continuous process of its social and cultural awakening, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai said on Sunday.

In his address at the closing ceremony of the three-day Ayodhya Parv, hosted by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Rai also said it is important for people to imbibe the ideals and values that Lord Rama had espoused. Rai said India’s fundamental identity has been rooted in prosperity, sensitivity and social harmony. Despite being under “foreign rule” for a long time, Indian society preserved its self-respect. After independence, continuous efforts have been made to “restore the nation to its natural ethos”, in which saints and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement have played a significant role, a statement issued by the IGNCA quoted Rai as saying. He noted that the movement arose from the need to awaken society and the construction of the Ram temple is a “result of that awakening”. Rai said Ayodhya has undergone a significant transformation over time. The transformation of Ayodhya is reflected not just in its development but also in its continuous social and cultural awakening, he said.

A Supreme Court judgement in 2019 paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The ‘bhoomi pujan’ at the construction site was held in August 2020 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, followed by a ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony in January 2024.

A flag-hoisting ceremony in November 2025 marked the formal completion of the construction of the temple. The city has changed drastically with large-scale urban infrastructure projects in Ayodhya and its twin city, Faizabad.