Ram Mandir: 5-judge Supreme Court bench that delivered Ayodhya verdict given consecration ceremony invitation

The five Supreme Court judges who delivered the landmark 2019 verdict on the Ayodhya dispute have been invited to the consecration (pran-pratishtha) ceremony of the Ram Mandir to be held on January 22.

Ex-chief justice's Ranjan Gogoi, SA Bobde and current Chief Justice DY Chandrachud alongsideJustices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer have been extended the invitation.

Apart from the five judges, the invites have also been sent toover 50 jurists and prominent lawyers. In total, over 7,000 guests have been invited, including 3,000 VVIPs, priests, politicians, actors and sports stars.

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The temple is central to the beliefs of Hindus and has been built after a long legal process which culminated with the decision by the five-judge bench .

Under the unanimous verdict, the land upon which the Babri masjid was razed was given to the Hindu side while the Muslims were granted a piece of land to build a mosque, far away from the contentious spot.

In the 1,045-page verdict, the court stated that "on a balanceprobabilities, the evidence of possessory claim of the Hindus...stands on a better footing than the evidence given by the Muslims."

Watch |Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Preparation in full swing for Ram Temple inauguration

Under the verdict, the disputed 2.77 acres of land was transferred to a trust, set up by the Indian government for the construction of the Ram Temple. Consequently, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra was set up in February 2020, comprising of 15 trustees to oversee the funding as well as the construction of the holy site.

As for the Muslim side, the foundation stone for the proposed mosque is yet to be laid. The mosque will be constructed25 kilometres from Ayodhya and is expected to housethe biggest Quran in the world with dimensions reading 21 feet high and 36 feet wide, according to Haji Arafat Shaikh,chairman of the Masjid Muhammad Bin Abdullah’s Development Committee.

Ram temple consecration ceremony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside several eminent personalities will be attending the consecration ceremony of the temple on January 22, over three years after laying the foundation stone (Bhumi puja) in August 2020.

The 51-inch Ram Lalla idol, sculpted byMysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj,has already been brought to the sanctum sanctorum.

(With inputs from agencies)