Ram Temple consecration: Haryana declares half-day holiday on Monday

Holiday till 2.30pm in all govt offices and educational institutions to enable employees to participate in Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya

The Haryana government on Friday declared a half day holiday in its offices and educational institutions on January 22 to enable people to participate in the consecration ceremony of the idol at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Security personnel stand guard near a blocked road at Ram Path during Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s visit, ahead of the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya’s Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Friday. (PTI Photo)

An order issued by the state’s human resources department said: “Half day (till 2.30pm) of January 22 shall be observed as a public holiday in all departments, boards, corporations, schools, colleges and universities, etc, of the Haryana Government to enable employees to participate in the celebration of Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya.”

The decision of the BJP-ruled state government comes a day after the central government announced that its offices and institutions across the country would be observing a holiday for the first half on Monday.

“Various activities have been planned by organisations and groups of people across India and abroad to coincide with the ceremony,” a central government official said.

Arrangements have been made for live screening of the ceremony on large screen at public places across India and abroad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be taking part in the consecration ceremony on January 22, which will likely start at 12.20pm. Rituals ahead of the Ram Temple consecration have already started inside the complex, which will continue till January 21.

National broadcaster Doordarshan has made arrangements for the live telecast of the event, which will also be shown live on several private channels.