Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran-Pratishtha: Inauguration Ceremony Schedule
The consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is scheduled to commence between 12:05 pm and 1 pm, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi overseeing the rituals. This eagerly awaited event marks the beginning of the temple's pran-pratishtha ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in the ceremony virtually on Monday, January 22, which also serves as a virtual kickoff for his re-election campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Tens of thousands of chanting and dancing devotees waving flags, honking horns and beating drums have gathered in Ayodhya, with roads clogged, trains packed full and the rest marching in on foot. The 50-metre or 160-foot-tall house of worship for Lord Ram Lalla was built on grounds where Babri Masjid stood for centuries before it was torn down in 1992 by karsevaks led by then Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Krishna Advani. Nearly 7,000 invitees, including politicians, industrialists, celebrities and sportspersons, are expected to attend the pran-pratishtha ceremony, which is expected to begin around 12.20 pm.
Here is the full schedule of events planned for January 22:
- At 10:25 am, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Ayodhya. From the Ayodhya airport, Modi will take a helicopter to the venue.
- At 10:55 am, Modi will reach the Ram temple premises.
- Between 11 am and 12 pm, the prime minister might take a tour of the Ram Mandir premises.
- Between 12:05 pm and 1 pm, the pran-pratishtha or consecration ceremony will begin with Modi presiding over the rituals.
- Around 1 pm, Modi will depart the temple premises to address a public meeting of around 7,000.
- At 2:10 pm, Modi will visit Kuber ka Tila, where the ancient temple of Bhagwan Shiv has been restored.
Key Features of Ram temple in Ayodhya
Constructed in the traditional Nagara style, the Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir, also known as the Ram temple, boasts dimensions of 380 feet in length (east-west), 250 feet in width, and 161 feet in height. The temple is structurally supported by 392 pillars and features 44 doors. Adorned with intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods, and goddesses, both the pillars and walls of the temple showcase remarkable craftsmanship. On the ground floor of the Ram temple's main sanctum sanctorum, the idol of Ram Lalla has been reverently placed.
Fourteen couples hailing from different regions across the country will serve as the 'yajmaans' (hosts) for the 'pran-pratishtha' ceremony of the newly crafted 51-inch idol of Ram Lalla. Sculpted by Arun Yogiraj, a resident of Mysuru, the idol has been installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The Ram Mandir is adorned with an abundance of "rich stocks" of flowers and special lighting, enveloping the entire city in a profound religious atmosphere.
The commencement of the 'pran Pratishtha' consecration rituals took place on January 16 from the Saryu river and is scheduled to conclude on Monday afternoon during the 'Abhijeet muhurta,' as per the temple trust. A substantial audience, numbering in the lakhs, is anticipated to witness the event through live broadcasts on television and online platforms, facilitated by the half-day holiday declared by the government on January 22, with several states adopting the same. Temples nationwide have declared special festivities to mark this significant occasion.
