PM Modi hoists Dharma Dhwaj at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (Nov 25) hoisted the flag at a ceremony at the newly completed temple in Ayodhya. Before undertaking the historic flag hoisting, the Indian PM offered prayers at the Saptmandir inside the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple complex on Tuesday morning.

Dharma Dhwaj

At noon, Modi hoisted the saffron Dharma Dhwaj atop the temple’s 191-foot shikhara, marking what officials describe as the symbolic completion of the temple’s construction and the start of a new cultural chapter. He also addressed thousands of gathered devotees and said, "Today, the entire India and the world is Ram-may. There is extraordinary satisfaction in the heart of every Rama devotee. There is boundless gratitude. There is unfathomable supernatural bliss. The wounds of centuries are being healed. The pain of centuries is being put to rest today. The resolve of centuries is being fulfilled today. Today is the completion of that sacrifice whose fire remained lit for 500 years..."

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The sacred symbols of the Dharma Dhwaj

The flag features three sacred symbols: Om, the Sun and the Kovidara tree. Each carries deep significance in the Sanatan tradition. The Sun represents Lord Ram’s lineage from the Suryavansh dynasty. Om stands for the eternal cosmic sound. The Kovidara tree, believed to be a hybrid of the Mandar and Parijat trees created by Rishi Kashyap, reflects ancient knowledge of plant science. The hoisting coincided with the Abhijit Muhurat linked to Shri Ram and Maa Sita’s Vivah Panchami.

Earlier in the morning, Modi held a roadshow in Ayodhya, where crowds lined the streets waving the national flag and chanting slogans as he traveled to the temple. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are among the senior leaders attending the ceremony.

Calling the moment a turning point, Adityanath described it as the renaissance of Sanatan culture. In a post on X, he wrote that the saffron flag raised by Modi at the "foremost of the seven sacred cities" sent a powerful message across the country.

"This divine message of the renaissance of Sanatan culture is infusing indomitable spiritual and soulful energy throughout the entire Bharatvarsha. The faith, penance, and anticipation of crores of Ram devotees are today about to be established at a new pinnacle. The nation is today immersed in Ram, immersed in Dharma."