The nation was immersed in festive fervour as the long-awaited pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla took place at Shri Ram Mandir, Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) on Monday.
A multitude of celebrities and dignitaries, including film stars, sports personalities, politicians, spiritual leaders among others, witnessed the significant occasion as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, acting as the yajman, performed the ceremony amid the chanting of sacred mantras.
The atmosphere echoed with the sounds of conch shells, mantras and a cascade of flowers, creating a spiritually charged ambience. The grand event drew the presence of approximately 7,000 VVIPs from across the nation.
Arrival of Guests
A star-studded affair unfolded as numerous celebrities graced the grand ceremony at the Shri Ram Temple. Notable attendees included celebs Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut among others. Business magnates from the Ambani family, along with Sunil Mittal and others, were also present.
Mangal Dhwani
A two-hour Mangal Dhwani curated by Yatindra Mishra unfolded at the east wing of the Shri Ram Temple, featuring 50 artistes. The act also included the harmony of several musical instruments from various parts of the country.
{{/usCountry}}A two-hour Mangal Dhwani curated by Yatindra Mishra unfolded at the east wing of the Shri Ram Temple, featuring 50 artistes. The act also included the harmony of several musical instruments from various parts of the country.
{{/usCountry}}Singers Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, Anuradha Paudwal, Kailash Kher, Malini Awasthi, Hariharan with other singers and musicians presented Shri Ram dhun. “During pran pratistha they presented Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, Ramacharitmanas chaupai and Ram Siya Ram. While prabhu prakat ho rahe they then presented Siya Ram dun, during aarti Shri Ram Chandra Kripalu Bhajman and Payoji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo,” tells curator Yatindra Mishra.
PM Modi, the Yajmaan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the temple around noon, ascending the 33 steps with a silver chhatra in hand. Head priest Lakshmi Kant Dixit, along with 121 other priests, conducted Vedic rituals.
Pran Pratishtha
The auspicious moment, spanning 84 seconds from 12.29pm to 12.30pm, marked the pran pratishtha ceremony. PM Modi also broke his 11-day-long fast after the conclusion.
Floral Shower
IAF choppers added a picturesque touch, showering flower petals over the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple premises in Ayodhya as the idol was unveiled.