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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

Published on: Jan 19, 2024, 18:27:22 IST
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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)
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.

The decision comes a day after the central government announced a half-day closing of all government offices and institutions on January 22 so that the employees can participate in the celebrations.

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.

  • Faisal Malik
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Faisal Malik

    Faisal Malik is a senior journalist with over two and a half decades of experience covering Maharashtra’s politics, governance and public policy with a deep understanding of the state’s political landscape. He is a Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times and has been associated with its Mumbai edition for more than a decade. Based in Mumbai, Faisal currently covers three major political parties in Maharashtra — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). Over the years, he has extensively reported on major political developments, combining investigative insights with in-depth field reporting. His coverage has spanned a wide range of issues, from drought, farmer suicides, major development projects and grassroots challenges to major electoral battles, including three Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections — 2014, 2019 and 2024. Before joining Hindustan Times, he worked with ‘The Asian Age’ and ‘Dainik Bhaskar’. An avid tea enthusiast, he enjoys reading history, Urdu literature and classical poetry. When away from the newsroom, he writes Urdu poetry inspired by human emotions, life's experiences, meaningful reflections and relationships. An amateur photographer, Faisal is passionate about capturing moments that often go unnoticed by the naked eye.Read More