Ayodhya Ram Temple ceremony: UP CM Yogi Adityanath declares holiday in schools on January 22
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday declared a holiday in all educational institutions across the state on January 22, in the wake of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
The CM has also ordered that the liquor shops in the state will remain closed on January 22 in view of the mega event. The chief minister arrived at the temple town on Tuesday to take stock of the ongoing preparations for the ‘Pran-Pratishtha’ ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in the newly-constructed Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on January 22.
With an aim to provide essential facilities for tourists and pilgrims, the state government also introduced electric buses on the town’s Dharma Path and Ram Path. Additionally, 100 electric buses would commence operations from January 15.
With a push to transform Ayodhya into a solar city, world’s largest ‘solar powered street lights line’ with 470 solar street lights has been established over an area of 10.2 km between Guptar Ghat and Nirmali Kund in the town.
During his visit, Yogi Adityanath also offered prayers at Ram Mandir ‘garbh griha’ (sanctum sanctorum) and Hanumangarhi Temple.
The preparations are in full swing for the ‘pran-prathistha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22.
Idols of elephants, lions, Lord Hanuman and Garuda, ‘vahana’ of Lord Vishnu , have been installed at the entrance gate of the Ram Temple.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Invitation cards for the consecration ceremony have been sent out to over 7,000 guests, including 3,000 VVIPs including priests, donors and several politicians.
The ceremony will be held over a span of seven days starting on January 16 with the temple trust appointed host conducting the atonement ceremony. The ‘Dashvidh’ bath, Vishnu worship, and offering to cows will be held on the banks of the Saryu River.
On January 18, formal rituals will kick off with the Ganesh Ambika puja, Varun puja, Matrika puja, Brahmin Varan, and Vastu puja. On January 19, the holy fire will be lit, followed by the establishment of ‘Navagraha’ and a ‘havan’ (holy ritual surrounding the fire).
The sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple will be washed with Saryu water on January 20, after which the Vaastu Shanti and ‘Annadhivas’ rituals will take place.
On January 21, the Ram Lalla idol will be bathed in 125 urns and will be laid. On the mega day, January 22, after the morning puja, the deity of Ram Lala will be consecrated in ‘Mrigashira Nakshatra’ at around 12:20pm.