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Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration LIVE Updates: The Pran Pratishtha ceremony to unveil the statue of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on Monday, 22 January, concluded after PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation. Calling it a new beginning, PM Modi said that the country's 500-year-long wait to is now over.
Watch The Quint's LIVE with Faye D'Souza on Ram Mandir inauguration here.
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled after the consecration ceremony in the presence of PM Narendra Modi (who is the Chief Yajman) and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, among other state dignataries and celebrities.
PM Modi presided over the 'Pran Pratishtha' rituals at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, concluding 11-day visits to several temples ahead of the ceremony. The grant event in Ayodhya was attended by nearly 8,000 VIP guests.
The Ayodhya Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid issue is one of the most controversial land disputes in India, which was settled in 2019 with the Supreme Court delivering a verdict paving the way for the construction of the temple, built on the site of the Masjid.
Here are some images of the ceremony being presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.
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Visuals from inside the temple ahead of the ceremony.
Visuals from inside the temple ahead of the ceremony.
Folk artists perform near Hanuman Garhi Temple as part of security arrangements for the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram Mandir.
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Delhi Education Minister Atishi Singh offers prayers on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir.
(Photo: PTI)
Addressing the nation after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, PM Modi said, "Our Ram Lalla won't live in tents now. He'll live in this pious temple."
PM Modi said, "Ram is the consciousness of India, Ram is the thinking of India. Ram is the prestige of India, Ram is the glory of India."
"This moment is divine, this moment is the holiest of all. Ram is everyone's. He is eternity," said PM Modi.
PM Modi added, "22 January is not just a date. But it's the beginning of a new era."
Who attended the event? Politicians like HD Deve Gowda, N Chandrababu Naidu, RS Prasad, Yogi Adityanath, Keshav Prasad Maurya, among others.
So have celebrities, sportspersons, and industrialists like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Abhishek Bachchan, Anu Malik, Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Hariharan, Kailash Kher, Sachin Tendulkar, Saina Nehwal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kumble, Sonu Nigam, Vivek Oberoi, Anil Ambani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, etc.
BJP leader LK Advani, who has been at the forefront of the Ram Mandir movement, is not attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Who did not attend? Arguing that it was “clearly an RSS-BJP event”, the Congress “respectfully declined” the invitation. Additional, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar confirmed that they will not be attending the event.
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All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district where the mega Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla's idol in the newly built Ram Janmabhoomi Temple will take place on Monday, 22 January.
The 'Pran Pratishtha' rituals will be presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will arrive in Ayodhya at around 10:30 am on Monday, concluding a 11-day temple visit ahead of the ceremony.
Follow our LIVE blog for latest updates.
The Babri Masjid land dispute is Independent India’s most controversial court case. In 2019, a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court finally declared its verdict on the case and directed that Hindus will get the disputed land subject to conditions.
But, what's the history of the case? When did the dispute start? Read our explainer here.
All Central government offices across India will remain closed for a half-day on 22 January due to the consecration ceremony.
The government said in a notice that all establishments that come under the Centre will be closed at 2:30 PM on Monday "to enable employees to participate in the celebrations". Read here.
Most opposition parties, part of the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), said that they would skip the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Here's a list:
Congress
Mallikarjun Kharge
Sonia Gandhi
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Manmohan Singh
Trinamool Congress
Mamata Banerjee
Aam Aadmi Party
Arvind Kejriwal
Shiv Sena (UBT)
Uddhav Thackeray
Nationalist Congress Party
Sharad Pawar
National Conference
Farooq Abdullah
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Sitaram Yechury
Mahant Bhanu Das, 65, sat inside a small room in his ashram at the Panch Kosi Parikrama Marg in Ayodhya, his eyes fixed on the door. "Are you from the trust? Have you brought me an invitation?" he asked as two local visitors entered. Their answer in the negative left the seer visibly disappointed.
Bhanu Das was referring to an invitation for the pran pratishtha or the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple scheduled to be held on 22 January. The ceremony will be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the guidance of Pandit Lakshmi Kant Dixit, a priest from Varanasi. Read Himanshi Dahiya's ground report
"Bhookhe bhajan na hoye Gopala, le teri kanthi, le teri mala...," said Tarawati, a 60-year-old farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, as she watched bulldozers and trucks turn 10 acres of land — which she claims her family has been cultivating since four generations — into a parking area.
The famous Hindi proverb she mentioned roughly means that one can't pray on an empty stomach. Tarawati is one the many residents of Ayodhya who claim that while the land which they used for housing or agricultural purposes was acquired for several 'beautifying' projects ahead of the inauguration of the Ram Temple, they weren't rightfully compensated.
Approximately 25 km from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, a strange silence shrouded a five acre plot of land in Dhannipur village.
This is the land that was allotted to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board by the Supreme Court of India, to build a mosque "in place of the demolished Babri Masjid" after the top court pronounced its verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute in 2019.
Why has the mosque not been built? Read here.
From flowers adorning the temple, to special lights — with barely 24 hours to go, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is decked up for the consecration ceremony.
Indian celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, etc to attend the ceremony.
Bollywood actors Jackie Shroff, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Madhuri Dixit left for Ayodhya from Mumbai, ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, security tightened and Rapid Action Force personnel deployed at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya.
India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, "January 22 is etched in history as defining moment of 'tryst with divinity' in our civilisational trajectory."
Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif were spotted at the Mumbai airport, leaving for Ayodhya, ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma, who is in Ayodhya ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, said, "What can feel better than this that we have got the opportunity to come here (in Ayodhya). I think no one is more fortunate than us," reported PTI.
Ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, told news agency ANI, "Everyone is chanting Jai Shri Ram right now. We are getting to see an unforgettable moment, so I bow before Lord Ram. This day has come after a struggle of 500 years."
Ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale told PTI, "There is happiness across the country, the issue was pending for several years. The country is making progress under the leadership of PM Modi."
Ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya, singer Kailash Kher tells PTI, "It feels that we have been invited by the almighty and the earth is witnessing the biggest festival today."
Ahead of the ceremony, actor and former politician Chiranjeevi told the media, "I feel Lord Hanuman has personally invited me."
Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, director Rohit Shetty, and former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was spotted at the Mumbai airport, while leaving for Ayodhya, ahead of the ceremony.
Indian diaspora organisations celebrate ahead of the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya, including groups like Ram Janmabhoomi Sthapna Samiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir, and diaspora at the Om Sri Sai Balaji Temple, Monroe in New Jersey.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Chief Priest Acharya Satyendra Das, tells news agency ANI, "Everything is happening very well. What Ram Bhakts wanted, is getting fulfilled today. As soon as Ram Lalla is seated, all difficulties will end."
Army helicopters will shower flowers in Ayodhya during the aarti.
Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar tells news agency ANI, "This is a pleasant experience. We had been waiting for this for several years now. I think everyone would be happy. This is a matter of joy for everyone."
Ahead of the ceremony, actor Anupam Kher tells mediapersons, "Today, I am representing lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus who had to leave their homes. Today Lord Ram is returning to his home and I hope we will also return soon. I went to Hanuman Garhi as well. People across the world are celebrating this day. Today is Diwali and this is not just a religious festival, this is much more."
BJP leader LK Advani, who has been at the forefront of the Ram Mandir movement, will not be attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony due to "extreme cold."
Ahead of the ceremony in Ayodhya, UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya says, "Today is a very emotional day for all the Ram Bhakts. I am fortunate that I have been there since the movement till today when Lord Ram is arriving in his abode."
Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar arrives in Ayodhya as the stage is set for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir today.
Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan visits the Ramraja Temple in Orchha, participates in a cleanliness drive.
Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya today, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath greets people at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
The 'muhurat' for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya today is from 12:29:03 pm to 12:30:35 pm, lasting only 84 seconds.
Ahead of the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat arrives at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya arrives at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Former Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, and actress Kangana Ranaut arrive at the Ram Mandir for the consecration ceremony set to take place in Ayodhya today.
As the consecration is scheduled to happen shortly, BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Hema Malini, actors Chiranjeevi Garu and Ramcharan Garu, and industrialist Anil Ambani reach Ayodhya.
Actors Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Jackie Shroff, and filmmaker Rohit Shetty arrive at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. TV actor Shailesh Lodha reached Ayodhya as well.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Ayodhya to participate in the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Superstar Rajinikanth arrives at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Arun Yogiraj, who sculpted the Ram Lalla idol placed in the Ayodhya temple, said, "I feel I am the luckiest person on the earth now. The blessing of my ancestors, family members and Lord Ram Lalla has always been with me. Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream world."
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tells the media, "Those who believe in the ideology of 'Maryada Purushottam Ram' are the biggest devotees of Lord Ram."
Singer Sonu Nigam sings 'Ram Siya Ram' at Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Singer Anuradha Paudwal sings Ram Bhajan ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah offers prayers at the Shri Laxmi Narayan Birla Mandir in Delhi, ahead of the Ram Mandir consecration in Ayodhya.
Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan performs a bhajan at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya to preside over the 'Pran Pratishtha' rituals, concluding 11-day visits to several temples ahead of the ceremony.
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai offers prayers at a temple in Shivrinarayan, as the Ram Mandir consecration is set to take place in Ayodhya.
As the stage is set for the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal, Mukesh Ambani, and Nita Ambani reach the temple.
BJP Chief JP Nadda offers prayers at the Jhandewalan temple in Delhi, ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.
As the Ram Mandir consecration is set to take place, flower petals are being showered down from a helicopter on the temple premises.
Tripura CM Manik Saha offered prayers at a temple in Agartala, as the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is set to be consecrated.
PM Narendra Modi has arrived and is set to participate in the Pran Pratishtha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
PM Modi is the Chief Yajman for the Pran Pratishtha at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple underway in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in Ayodhya.
The Ram Lalla idol has been unveiled at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, where PM Modi is performing the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Army helicopters shower petals on Ayodhya temple as consecration ceremony takes place, PTI reports.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs 'aarti' of the Ram Lalla idol at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers lotus flowers at the feet of Ram Lalla's idol.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya concludes in the presence of PM Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs Dandavat Pranam at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, Tripura CM Manik Saha, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy, among others, watched the virtual telecast of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
PM Narendra Modi will shortly address the gathering at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath presents a replica of the Ayodhya Ram temple to PM Narendra Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj also felicitated PM Modi.
"The entire world would be enlightened after the Ram Lalla idol has been consecrated. This is not just a consecration of an idol but it symbolises India's honour and self-confidence," says Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj after Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, reports PTI.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addresses the gathering at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Post the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, while addressing the gathering, "The entire country has become 'Rammay'. It seems that we have entered Treta Yug. Now the pious occasion has come. The temple has been built where it was promised. Our generation is fortunate to have witnessed this."
While addressing the gathering, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said, "Everyone is chanting Jai Shri Ram. This is a historic occasion. Now under the blessings of Lord Ram, no one can cause trouble in Ayodhya. Now, bullets won't be hit in Ayodhya, there will no curfews. Instead, people will celebrate Deepotsav, Ramotsav here."
Addressing the gathering at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said, "Before this Pran Pratishtha ceremony, PM Modi observed a fast, that was more severe than what had been asked. He is a tapasvi. Now it is our time to do the tap. Ram Rajya is about to return. We are the children of Bharatvarsh, we have to follow the lives that the citizens of Ram Rajya led. The citizens of Ram Rajya kept dharam over everything else."
PM Narendra Modi addresses the gathering at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
PM Modi says, "Our Ram Lalla won't live in tents now. He'll live in this pious temple. This moment is pious, blessed by Lord Ram."
"22 January is not just a date. But it's the beginning of a new era. After the Bhoomi Pujan of the Ram temple, the enthusiasm of the country was rising. After waiting for centuries, we have finally got this," says PM Modi.
"I pay my respects to Ayodhya and Ram. I am certain Lord Ram will forgive us today. The country felt this separation with Lord Ram for centuries. The temple of justice has been built through justice. Now the wheel of time will turn again," says PM Modi at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
"Ram's existence was questioned. Will express thanks to SC for doing justice and temple was built in accordance with law," said PM Narendra Modi while addressing the gathering after the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
"From the ocean to Saryu river, I tried to visit places during my 11-day religious exercise where Lord Ram had set foot," says PM Modi.
"I have firm belief and immense faith that today, the devotees of Prabhu Ram are completely absorbed in this historic moment...the devotees of Prabhu Ram, in every corner of the country and the world, are deeply feeling this...This moment is divine, this moment is the holiest of all. Ram is everyone's. He is eternity," says PM Modi.
"Ram is the consciousness of India, Ram is the thinking of India. Ram is the prestige of India, Ram is the glory of India," says PM Modi.
"Some would say Ram temple's construction will set off firestorm. They should reconsider as Ram is energy not fire, solution not dispute," says PM Modi.
"We have to now lay foundation of India of next 1,000 years; We take pledge to build a capable, grand, divine India from this moment. Today, there is not even an iota of space for disappointment in the country. We have reached here after centuries of wait. But now we won't stop, we will keep moving towards development," says PM Modi.
After addressing the nation post the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers before Lord Shiva in Kuber Tila' Shiv temple in Ayodhya.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony to unveil the statue of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on Monday, 22 January, concluded after PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation. Here are the top five quotes from PM Modi's speech:
Calling it a new beginning, PM Modi said that the country's 500-year-long wait to is now over.
"We have to now lay foundation of India of next 1,000 years; We take pledge to build a capable, grand, divine India from this moment. Today, there is not even an iota of space for disappointment in the country. We have reached here after centuries of wait. But now we won't stop, we will keep moving towards development," PM Modi said.
"Some would say Ram temple's construction will set off firestorm. They should reconsider as Ram is energy not fire, solution not dispute," he said.
"Ram is the consciousness of India, Ram is the thinking of India. Ram is the prestige of India, Ram is the glory of India," said PM Modi.
"I pay my respects to Ayodhya and Ram. I am certain Lord Ram will forgive us today. The country felt this separation with Lord Ram for centuries. The temple of justice has been built through justice. Now the wheel of time will turn again," he said.
After attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday, 22 January, BJP MP and actor Hema Malini said, "...We are fortunate to have witnessed such a ceremony," news agency ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered flower petals on the workers who were part of the construction crew at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony to unveil the statue of Ram Lalla on Monday, 22 January, concluded after PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation. Calling it a new beginning, PM Modi said that the country's 500-year-long wait to is now over.
Speaking to news agency ANI, BJP leader mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "After decades of struggles and sacrifices, the meaningful and successful outcome has come today. It is noteworthy how all the sections of society have inclusively welcomed this decision."
"It is unfortunate that many who did nothing for this (construction of Ram Temple) have tried to create hindrance, it is a message for them," Naqvi said.
" ...This day will be written in golden letters in our history...it took 500 years for Lord Ram to come back to his birthplace," said Union Minister Hardeep Puri after the conclusion of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday.
Puri also called PM Modi "the biggest kar sevak," news agency ANI reported.
Ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, 22 January, several celebrities from the Malayalam film industry took to social media to share an image of the Preamble to the Constitution of India as a protest against the ‘politicisation’ of the event.
Among them were Malayalam actors including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal, Kani Kusruti, and Divya Prabha; directors Jeo Baby, Aashiq Abu, and Kamal KM; and singer Sooraj Santhosh. Read here
On attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya's Ram Temple, Union Minister Piyush Goyal told news agency ANI:
Anand Patwardhan’s award-winning documentary ‘Ram Ke Naam’ – which extensively documented the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in October 1990 – was released in September 1992, less than three months before the disputed structure in Ayodhya was demolished by a mob on 6 December.
As the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony takes place on 22 January 2024, The Quint revisits this 2019 interview with Patwardhan on the lessons to remember from Ayodhya.
Post the conclusion of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said, "Now, I feel there will be no dispute in the country. Everybody will live happily together. Lord Ram belongs to everybody," news agency ANI reported.
The inauguration of a ‘gaushala’ or a cow shed, ‘Ramdhun’, and a ‘Shobha Yatra’ -- a number of events had been announced at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in the run-up to the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai has reportedly warned its students not to take part in any protests on campus against the Ram Temple consecration ceremony on 22 January, failing which necessary action will be taken against them by law-enforcement agencies. Read Aakriti Handa's story
Speaking to the media on the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said, “The entire country and crores of people from across the world have participated in today’s happiness. Today has marked the beginning of a new era."
As they drove away from the ruins of the demolished Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992, the man who began it all, LK Advani, is believed to have told his now deceased close aide Pramod Mahajan in a morose voice, "They have destroyed my movement.’’
Advani’s candid assessment of the political hit that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) most potent issue took that fateful day was revealed many years later by veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi in his blog Ask Vir. Arati R Jerath writes
After attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday, 22 January, actor Rajinikanth said:
Shortly after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday, Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, said that Ram Lalla’s darshan will begin on Tuesday, January 23.
The government will launch the 'Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana' to install rooftop solar on 1 crore houses, announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet on X (Formerly Twitter) on Monday, 22 January.
"The first decision I have taken after returning from Ayodhya is that our government will launch “Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana” with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses. This will not only reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, but will also make India self-reliant in the energy sector," PM Modi tweeted.
"The entire world has become devoted to Lord Ram following the inauguration of Ram Temple by PM Modi in Ayodhya,” Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said, news agency PTI reported.
What happens to an ambitious country that has one eye on a glorious past that stretches thousands of years back and another on an emerging future full of confounding new technologies? Will it take a magnificent leap across time? Or will it suffer, torn between heritage and modernity?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Indians to straddle the two ends of legacy and modernity after he installed and breathed spiritual life into a black stone idol of Lord Rama in a ceremony run with military precision and symbolic of a Hindu Renaissance or resurgence.
Read Madhavan Narayanan's opinion piece here.
Fireworks witnessed at New Delhi's Jhandewalan Temple as devotees celebrate the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony
While lighting diyas at his residence in New Delhi on the occasion of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said:
Published: 22 Jan 2024,07:00 AM IST