Ram Mandir Inauguration: Ram Temple premises lit up ahead of consecration ceremony

As many as 14 couples from various parts of the country will perform the duty of 'yajmans' (hosts) during the Ram temple consecration ceremony here on January 22.

Sunil Ambekar, the Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said that according to the information given by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust the rituals commenced on January 16 and Saturday was the fifth day.

"A temple worship has comprehensive rituals under the Hindu religion. There are a number of 'adhivaas," he told PTI on Saturday.

• 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: Consecration ceremony

• 12:55 pm: Departure from the place of worship.

• 1:00 pm: Arrival at the public venue.

• 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: Attend a public function in Ayodhya

• 2:10 pm: Darshan of Kuber Tila

Section 144 has been imposed in Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow ahead of ceremony in Ayodhya. 

Under Section 144, assembly of four or more people is prohibited.

Indians in Houston, USA chose a unique way to show their devotion to Lord Ram. They organised Tesla light show in which Tesla cars were aligned in a way that they formed the word 'Ram'.

(Image: PTI)

Indian government has issued advisory to media in India to refrain from running false reports about Ram Mandir and doing anything that will harm communal harmony in the country.

Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Dimple Yadav has said that she has not got any invite for the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. She however said that her whole family will go to Ayodhya in the coming days.

"I have not received any invitation. Like I have said before, when God calls, we should go at that time. In the coming days you will see that my entire family will go to Ayodhya," she said as quoted by ANI.

Puja rituals are going on in Ayodhya as the pranpratishtha day nears. The consecration ceremony is set to take place on January 22.

Ahead of the much-awaited consecration ceremony of the grand temple of God Ram at his birthplace in northern India's Ayodhya, authorities have managed to avert a potential mass casualty event after the arrest of three men linked with terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu's banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organisation. 

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Ahead of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

At the temple, he heard the recitation of the Kamba Ramayanam. An elephant at the temple blessed Modi. 

The world's largest lock, weighing 400 kilograms, arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday. The lock is an offering to the temple.

According to a report by the news agency ANI, the lock was made two years ago by Aligarh residents Satya Prakash Sharma and his wife Rukmini Sharma. Satya Prakash recently died and his wish was that this lock should be gifted to the temple. 

As part of rituals pledged by Indian PM Modi, he is reciting puja mantras every day. The Prime Minister does a special lesson of chanting mantras received from some accomplished men of the spiritual world every day in the morning during Brahma Muhurta for 1 hour and 11 minutes. This is as per a resolution to chant this for 11 days.

During the consecration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security will be five-tiered in Ayodhya, with over 30,000 soldiers, including civil police. The first layer features SPG bodyguards armed with assault rifles, automatic guns, and revolvers. SPG commandos, followed by Black Cat commandos of NSG, provide subsequent layers of security. ATS and other commandos are on standby, while paramilitary forces and civil police personnel form the fourth and fifth layers, respectively. Currently, 35 SPG soldiers are present, and more reinforcements are expected. 

As the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya is just two days away, all central government hospitals in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and nearby states have been asked to be on alert on Jan 22, media reports said.