FAQ: How Ram Temple Bhoomi Poojan Will be Conducted Amid COVID-19

Here’s all you need to know about the Ram mandir bhoomi poojan to be held on Wednesday, 5 August.

(Photo: The Quint)

Even as India continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, all eyes are on Ayodhya as the Ram Mandir trust prepares for the bhoomi poojan or the foundation-laying ceremony, scheduled on Wednesday, 5 August.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the ceremony along with 174 other invitees.

How has the trust planned to conduct the bhoomi poojan? What are the social distancing norms that will be followed? Here’s all you need to know.

Who are all invited for the event?

The organiser of the event – Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust – has indicated that 175 people have been invited to the Ram mandir bhoomi poojan.

Apart from Prime Minister Narendra the others who are invited include RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, several ministers from the UP cabinet. The son of Iqbal Ansari, one of the first Muslim litgants in the Ayodhya land dispute case, was also invited.

133 saints and seers have also been reportedly invited, apart from prominent people connected to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Why was the guest list trimmed?

Initially, 260 people were reportedly on the guest list which was eventually trimmed, amid rising cases of novel coronavirus across the country and especially in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the news of trimmed guest list came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier, on 30 July, reports suggested that at least one priest and 14 policemen deployed in the temple site tested positive for the virus.

Can I attend the bhoomi poojan ceremony if I want to?

Speaking to Ram bhakts (devotees of Ram) from Ayodhya, Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said, “I request the people of the country to keep the concerns of COVID-19 and transportation in mind, and give up the idea of coming to Ayodhya. Stay home and celebrate the event.”

Will BJP veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi attend the ceremony?

There is no clarity on this. LK Advani was the face of the Ram mandir agitation in the 1990s, supported then by party leader Murli Manohar Joshi.

Now, 92 and 86 respectively, LK Advani and MM Joshi are likely to attend the bhoomi poojan via video-conferencing. The COVID-19 pandemic puts the elderly at more risk.

What is on the itinerary for the day?

• According to The Indian Express, PM Modi is expected to arrive in Ayodhya around 11:00 am
• He will start the event by offering prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple, where he will spend 7 minutes
• Following this, he will visit the makeshift Ram temple, where he will offer his prayers again
• The bhoomi poojan will begin with the chanting of mantras
• A 22.60 kg brick, made of pure silver, will reportedly be used for the ceremony

When will PM Modi lay the foundation stone?

A set of priests told Hindustan Times that the auspicious moment for laying the brick will last for only 32 seconds – from 12:44:08 on to 12:44:40 pm.

The function is expected to be wrapped up by 2:00 pm

What are the social distancing protocols to be followed?

• All invitees who are attending the event will have to wear a mask or face cover as a mandatory protocol
• Everyone attending the event will be seated at a distance of six feer from each other
• Only PM Modi, are UP Governor Anandi Ben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das will be seated on the main stage
• Moreover, each invitee has been provided with invitation card that bears a code. This code will ensure that one invitee gets entry only once, for security and social distancing purposes

When will construction begin?

Construction of the Ayodhya Ram mandir will begin shortly after the ceremony and is expected to be completed within a year.