Ram temple consecration: Maharashtra declares public holiday on January 22

The chief minister has already directed Mumbai civic commissioner IS Chahal to put up decorative lights on temples and buildings across the city to prepare for “Diwali like celebrations” on January 22

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has declared a one-day public holiday to celebrate the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. An order to this effect was issued on Friday.

Ram Temple in Ayodhya (File Photo)

“The state government is declaring a one-day public day as ‘Shri Ram Lalla Pran-Pratishtha Din’ on January 22,” states the order issued by the state general administration department.

The order will be applicable to all state government offices and undertakings.

“The state general administration department has moved a proposal for a one-day which was pending with the chief minister Eknath Shinde for approval as the latter was in Davos, Switzerland to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The proposal was cleared today and the order has been issued accordingly,” said a senior official from the ministry of general administration said, wishing anonymity.

The chief minister has already directed Mumbai civic commissioner IS Chahal to put up decorative lights on temples and buildings across the city to prepare for “Diwali like celebrations” on January 22.

According to an order issued by the Centre, all Central government establishments, including public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions and regional rural banks across the country will observe a half-day off on January 22 due to the consecration of the Ram temple.

The first glimpse of the face of Ram Lalla was shared on Friday ahead of the pran pratishtha on January 22. Covered with a veil, the first photo of the idol was revealed during the placement ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum on Friday.

In the photos that appeared on social media, the five-year-old Lord Ram can be seen standing with a golden bow and arrow in his hand.