Ram Mandir LIVE: Ayodhya's Ram Temple Lit Up Ahead of Pran Pratistha Ceremony

Saffron flags dotted busy junctions and marketplaces in Madhya Pradesh along with a slew of religious functions being held across the state amid a call from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to make the Ram Temple inauguration a historic one.

State unit Bharatiya Janata Party chief VD Sharma said his party would try to take 'karsevaks' (volunteers who took part in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the early 1990s) to Ayodhya for 'darshan'.

Speaking to reporters in Ujjain, CM Yadav said, "Two thousand years ago, Emperor Vikramaditya from Ujjain went to Ayodhya and built a Ram temple, which was later demolished by (Mughal emperor) Babar. By the order of the Supreme Court, the temple is being revived. In other words, being built afresh." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders will be in Ayodhya. We all should make this an unforgettable, historic event. It will be the holiest moment when Lord Ram enters the sanctum sanctorum. The MP government and people of the state have been preparing for this great event since January 16," Yadav said.

Ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday praised a sand sculpture of Lord Ram by Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik and and took a selfie with the artwork here.

The "Pran Pratishtha" of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple will be held on Monday.

The artwork has been awarded the certificate of the largest sand sculpture of Lord Ram by the World Records Book of India, according to a statement issued by the state government. The chief minister presented the certificate to the Director of the State Lalit Kala academy, Shraddha Shukla, on Sunday, it said.

The sculpture was made at a sand art camp, which was organised by the Uttar Pradesh culture department's academy, as part of activities to celebrate the Ram temple event.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath took a selfie with a sand sculpture depicting Lord Ram and the Ram temple at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya.

Indian community in Taiwan performed Puja ahead of the the Pran Pratishtha in the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Two events were organized on the eve of the occasion - one by the Indian diaspora in Taiwan and another by ISKCON Taiwan.

The Ram Temple has been lit up and decorated beautifully ahead of the Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony in Ayodhya tomorrow.

"I am confident that 'Ram Rajya' will be established. PM Modi is the Yudhisthira in today's time. He has done whatever he said. This is PM Modi's guarantee," actor Gajendra Chauhan said. 

“Change can be seen here and the credit for it goes to CM Yogi Adityanath. Ayodhya has been transformed. Tomorrow everyone should light diya at their homes and chant Ram's name,” spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said as he landed in Ayodhya for the Pran Pratistha ceremony. 

Actor Rajinikanth has arrived at a hotel in Ayodhya, ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in the Ram Temple.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that cold day conditions are likely in Ayodhya on January 22. It has also predicted that the maximum temperature will be between 15-17 degrees Celsius with shallow fog. 

Folk dancers from Prayagraj have arrived in Ayodhya ahead of the Ram temple 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.

Folk dances from 'Badhawa' to 'Ghumar', songs dedicated to Lord Ram playing on loudspeakers, streets decked up with flowers, lights and saffron flags and people dressed up as Lord Ram, Sita and Hanuman -- the temple town of Ayodhya is buzzing with activity ahead of the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram temple.

Small stages have been constructed at multiple places on Ram Path which leads to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. Folk dancers from across the country are performing different dances with passersby stopping to make videos and click selfies.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said he plans to take his cabinet as well as MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs from the state for 'darshan' to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya later and, hence, was not attending the idol consecration ceremony on January 22.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Tata Marathon held here in the morning, the CM said, "Instead of a handful of people attending the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya, I would like to take all state cabinet members as well as MLAs and parliamentarians later."

"The temple is about our faith and pride. I would also like to take officials and devotees to the Ram Temple," he added.

Shinde said ahead of Monday's ceremony, instructions have been given to officials to carry out a cleanliness drive in temples and also decorate them with lights.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too had told reporters in Nagpur that he would visit Ayodhya in February for "Ram Seva".

The temple is built using granite, sandstone, and marble with a lock and key mechanism, which ensures a lifespan of up to 1,000 years. Notably, no iron or mortar has also been utilised in its construction. 

On Ram Temple pranpratishtha, Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, "It is correct that the temple has been constructed after the Supreme Court's order. But had Modi not been the Prime Minister of the country, had someone else been the Prime Minister this verdict would not have come and the temple would not have been built. So, I would like to give the credit to Narendra Modi..."

As a pristine and gilded Ayodhya awaited Lord Ram to return to his birthplace and take his throne on Monday, several sitting ministers in New Zealand sent out congratulatory messages to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, saying it was his leadership that made the construction of the Ram Temple possible after a prolonged wait of 500 years.

Speaking to ANI, New Zealand's Minister for Regulation, David Seymour, said, "Jai Shri Ram...I wish to congratulate everyone in India, including PM Modi, as it was his leadership that made this construction (Ram Temple) possible after 500 years. The temple is majestic and built to last another 1000 years."

Ayodhya went under a heavy security blanket ahead of the grand opening of the Ram Temple, with Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) commandos deployed at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony on Monday. The Uttar Pradesh Police said new-age, state-of-the-art technology has been used for elaborate security arrangements for the ceremony.

• Diversion for trains going from Gorakhpur to Lucknow: Purvanchal Expressway will be diverted from Gorakhpur, Kaudiram, Barhalganj, Doharighat, Jianpur, Azamgarh.
• The vehicles will be diverted from Gorakhpur to Sant Kabirnagar, Bansi, Mehdawal, Dumariyaganj, Utraula, Balrampur, Gonda, Jarwal Road, Chowkaghat, Badosarai, Safdarganj to Lucknow.
• Diversion of Purvanchal Expressway from Basti, Kalwari to Tanda to Akbarpur to Dostpur.
• Trains coming from Agra Expressway will be diverted from Mohan, Junabganj, Mohanlalganj, Gosaiganj, Purvanchal Expressway to Gorakhpur.
• Trains going from Sitapur, Shahjahanpur to Basti, Gorakhpur via IIM Road, Dubagga to Alambagh, Nahariya to Shaheed Path via Ahimamau have been diverted to Purvanchal Expressway.
• Vehicles going from Balrampur, Bahraich, Gonda, Shravasti to Ayodhya via Lucknow will be diverted from Gonda, Colonelganj to Jarwal Road via Chowkaghat, Baddosarai, Safdarganj to Lucknow.
• Vehicles coming from Sultanpur will be diverted from Basti and vehicles going to Gorakhpur will be diverted from garbage on Purvanchal Expressway.
• Trains going from Rae Bareli to Basti, Gorakhpur will be diverted from Haliyapur via Purvanchal Expressway.
• Vehicles coming from Lucknow and Barabanki will be diverted to their destination from Barabanki via Chowkaghat, Jarwal Road, Colonelganj, and Ramsanehi Ghat via Haidergarh.
• Vehicles going from Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar to Lucknow will be diverted to go from Ambedkar Nagar via Purvanchal Expressway.

• Daily puja of the deities with Havan will be done.
• After that, the bathing of the idol with various medicated water from 114 Kalash (vases) will take place.
• There will be 'Vyahati Hom', a night vigil, with regular evening puja and aarti.

Himachal Pradesh Government declares a public holiday in the state on January 22 on the occasion of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat reached Lucknow to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony tomorrow in Ayodhya.

The long-awaited grand consecration ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple on January 22 has developed a wave of excitement and devotion among Hindu communities worldwide. The preparations are in full swing across the world for the big day. 

The event live broadcast will take place across the United States at approximately 300 locations, including the iconic Times Square in New York. Paris's Eiffel Tower is also getting ready to mark the day of 'Pran Pratishtha'.

Preparations are underway in France for a Grand Rath Yatra. In the UK, Australia, Canada, and Mauritius, the Pran Pratishtha event will be live streamed in a large scale. 

The Mauritius government has also commemorated the landmark Ram Mandir event by giving a two-hour off to Hindu officials on January 22, the day of the Ram Temple inauguration.

Ram Mandir LIVE: “Opposing Hindu movement is akin to suicide,” said VHP's Swami Vigyananand while speaking exclusively with Republic. 

Ram Mandir LIVE: New Zealand Minister for ethnic communities, Melissa Lee congratulated Prime Minister Modi for the inauguration of Ram Mandir. 

“I wish the Indian diaspora around the world for the celebration of the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Congratulations to PM Modi and the people of Bharat on the inauguration of Ram Mandir after 500 years. Ram Mandir is the result of PM Modi's work and his championing of resurrecting this mandir.  He has been elected so many times as the prime minister. PM Modi is respected around the world and he does very good for the people of India,” said the Minister. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arichal Munai point in Dhanushkodi, which is said to be the place from where the Ram Setu was built.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Chief Priest Acharya Satyendra Das said, "The idol of Ram Lalla which is presently in the makeshift temple will be placed in the new temple today at 8 pm, where the Pran Pratishtha of the new idol will be done tomorrow..."

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will assume a pivotal role as the 'mukhya yajman' in the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Temple on January 22. This event marks a significant moment in the Prime Minister's ongoing nationwide temple tour, where he will actively participate in various events during the consecration ceremony. The detailed schedule and protocol for Prime Minister Modi's participation in the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha on January 22 are outlined as follows:

• 10:25 am: Arrival at Ayodhya Airport
• 10:45 am: Arrival at Ayodhya Helipad
• 10:55 am: Arrival at Shri Ram JanmaBhoomi
• 11:00 am to 12:00 pm: Reserved
• 12:05 pm to 12:55 pm: Pran Prathishtha ceremony
• 12:55 pm: Departure from the puja venue
• 1:00 pm: Arrival at the venue of the public function
• 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: Participation in a public function at Ayodhya
• 2:10 pm: Visit Kuber Teela

There are several places in India and across the globe where the Pran Pratishtha will be telecast live. However, for the devotees in Ayodhya, a Gujarat-based company made a 69-feet floating LED screen, which has been installed at Saryu Ghat, to broadcast the ceremony. "The length of this entire screen is 69 feet and the height is 16 feet, which makes the entire floating LED screen approximately 1100 square feet," Akshay Anand, the MD of the Gujarat-based company, said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday will visit the Arichal Munai point at 9:30 am which is the point from where the Ram Setu was built. The visit comes a day ahead of the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai, said the Ram temple will be opened for 'darshan' to the general public from January 23. 

"The entire country is Rammay (obsessed with Lord Ram). The scope of Lord Ram's life, His inspiration, and faith extend far beyond devotion. Lord Ram is a symbol of good governance in social life," Prime Minister Modi said.

Uttar Pradesh DGP Vijay Kumar on Saturday released a list of directions asking managers of Ashrams, Dharamshalas and other religious places to ensure devotees staying at those places don't go for darshan (of Ram Temple) together. 

He added that heightened checking will be done at all naka points including Indo-Nepal border, the interstate border, and the border of Ayodhya and its adjoining districts.

“Tomorrow on Sunday, daily worship of the established deities, Havan, Parayana, etc., morning Madhvadhivas, bathing of the idol with various medicated water from 114 urns, Mahapuja, Utsav, circumambulation of the idol's palace, bed rest, Tatlanyas, Mahanyas etc., peaceful and nutritious - Aghor Home. There will be Vyahati Homa, night vigil, evening puja and aarti,” Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth posted on X.