• By Vivek Raj
  • Tue, 23 Jan 2024 08:14 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya is set to welcome the public today following a grand consecration or Pran Pratistha ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by several political figures and celebrities. The public will be able to get the darshan of Ram Lalla today as gates will be open from 7 am to 11:30 am and then again from 2 pm to 7 pm.

Devotees from across the country have gathered in large numbers in Ayodhya to get a glimpse of Ram Lalla's idol.

The 'pran pratishtha' rituals, conducted yesterday, saw the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with several dignitaries present including Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, business tycoon Mukesh Ambani, industrialist Sunil Mittal, cricket star Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood celebs Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and others.

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Prime Minister Modi shared his emotions on Twitter, stating, "The extraordinary moment of the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla's life in Ayodhya Dham is going to leave everyone emotional. It is my great pleasure to be a part of this divine program. Jai Siya Ram!"

Post-ritual, PM Modi addressed a gathering of around 8,000 individuals associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and celebrities. He also visited the Kuber Tila and interacted with workers involved in the temple's construction.

While the ceremony was broadcast nationwide, Opposition leaders chose to skip the event, terming it an "RSS-BJP event." Rahul Gandhi, who is on his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra staged a dharna protest in Assam after he was not allowed to enter a temple.

Ayodhya's atmosphere was charged with a devotional "Mangal Dhwani," featuring 50 traditional musical instruments. The construction of the Ram Temple follows a historic legal battle, with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the temple in November 2019.

Addressing the nation, PM Modi declared the consecration of Ram Lalla's idol as the dawn of a new era. Urging critics to reconsider, he highlighted Ram as a symbol of energy and a solution, not a dispute.

"I have come before you are witnessing the divine consciousness in the temple's sanctum sanctorum. There's so much to say but, but there's a lump in my throat. After unprecedented patience, innumerable sacrifices and penance, our Lord Ram has arrived. I congratulate the country on this occasion," the Prime Minister said.

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"The construction of this temple of Ram Lalla is also a symbol of the Indian society's peace, patience, and mutual harmony. We can see this has not given birth to a fire, but an energy," said PM Modi in a powerful and emotional post-consecration speech, invoking the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam,' defining the world as a family.