Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday began an 11-day special ritual ahead of the consecration ceremony or "pran pratishtha" of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which is scheduled to take place on January 22.
In an emotional message to the nation, PM Modi said that the feeling of "Ram Bhakti" is immersing the whole country in the run-up to the grand event.
Calling the moment a "blessing of the almighty", he expressed that he is "overwhelmed with emotions".
"As it is said in our scriptures, we have to awaken divine consciousness in ourselves for the Yagya and worship of God. For this, fasts and strict rules have been prescribed in the scriptures, which have to be followed before consecration. Therefore, according to the guidance I have received from some pious souls and great men of the spiritual journey and according to the 'Yama-Niyams' suggested by them, I am starting a special ritual of 11 days from today," the prime minister said in an emotional message to the nation," PM Modi said.
Here are the Highlights on the Ram Temple consecration ceremony:
Senior leaders of the Uttar Pradesh Congress made a beeline for Ayodhya on Makar Sankranti today, notwithstanding their Central leaders' refusal to attend the Ram temple consecration ceremony.
Ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony here, the movement of trains will be affected from January 16 to 22 due to the doubling of tracks and electrification being done on top priority, a senior Railways official said on Monday.
A Muslim teenager from Jammu and Kashmir's Uri tehsil has become the talk of the town after her melodious rendition of a Ram 'bhajan' in Pahari language went viral online ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
India is fully geared up for the grand 'Pran Pratistha' (consecration ceremony) at Ram Temple in Ayodhya next Monday.
The Haryana government has declared a 'dry day' on January 22 in view of the 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration ceremony) at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Ram devotees from various corners of Tripura convened at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala to mark the 'Pran Pratistha' of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday instructed the district collectors to undertake a cleanliness drive at all temples in the state and ensure the change is "visible" within a week, ahead of Ram temple consecration on January 22.
Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, a new outfit and flag were presented to Ram Janmabhoomi temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das on Sunday.
As anticipation grows for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, the excitement has transcended borders, with almost a dozen events planned across the US to celebrate the historic occasion.
The Gita Press will allow free download of the Ramcharitmanas from its website as it is unable to meet an increased demand for the holy book ahead of the January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremony, an official said.
Rajasthan government has declared a dry day on January 22 in view of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Around 100 heads from 55 countries, including ambassadors and MPs, have been invited to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22nd, Swami Vigyananand, founder and global chairman
As the country gears up to witness the grand Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday flagged off 100 electric buses for tourists in the city.
A 35-year-old woman autopsy assistant, who has conducted more than 700 postmortems, received an invitation from the Ram Mandir Trust for the Pran Pratistha program of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22.
#WATCH | President, Mauritius Sanatan Dharma Temples Federation, Bhojraj Ghoorbin says, "Whenever PM Narendra Modi came to Mauritius, he said, Mauritius is a 'Chota Bharat'...On January 21st we are doing a cultural program with all our social and cultural organizations in... pic.twitter.com/4Z4ZXttOoZ
- ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2024
#WATCH | Edison, New Jersey: Indians in the US organise a more than 350-car rally ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Temple on January 22nd in Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/DTRk64hDj7
- ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2024
With just over a week left for the grand ceremonial opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the city is being given a transformative makeover ahead of much-anticipated 'Pran Pratishtha' on January 22.
The nationalist Muslim organisation 'Muslim Rashtriya Manch' (MRM) claimed on Saturday that 74% Muslims are happy with the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and believe that Narendra Modi is the most successful Prime Minister of India.
- Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 13, 2024
Nearly 40 cameras will be installed by Doordarshan at various locations in Ayodhya, including the new Ram temple complex, for live coverage of the consecration ceremony which will be broadcast in cutting-edge 4K technology, a top official has said.
Liquor shops and bars will remain closed in Uttarakhand on January 22 on the occasion of consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
#WATCH | Raipur: Union Minister Giriraj Singh says, "The temple trust has sent invitations (for Ram Temple 'pranpratishtha') to Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge but they aren't going because they are anti-Hindu..." pic.twitter.com/1ovmucYEVg
- ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2024
In a significant move, the Mauritian government has decided to grant a one-off special leave for two hours to public servants of the Hindu faith to attend prayers marking the "landmark" inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
#WATCH | On Ayodhya Ram Temple, Uddhav Thackeray says, "Construction of Ram temple was also my father's dream. It is a moment of happiness that the temple is being constructed today. There should have been consultations with Shankaracharya. We will perform aarti on the banks of... pic.twitter.com/KgX8w7TEYO
- ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2024
Ayodhya has undergone a massive transformation since Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a "Bhoomi Pujan" on August 5, 2020, to mark the building of the grand Ram Temple.
Fate decided there would be a Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya long before it actually happened, BJP veteran LK Advani declared this week, labelling himself the "charioteer" who led the controversial 'rath yatra' that began in Gujarat in 1990.