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'After 500 years…': PM Modi as ‘Surya Tilak’ lights up Ram Lalla's idol in Ayodhya
A 'Surya Tilak' (Sun’s rays) illuminated the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol at Ayodhya Temple on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday afternoon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the 'Surya Tilak' ritual of Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya. Speaking at an election rally in Assam's Nalbari amid slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, the prime minister said the birthday of Lord Ram has come after 500 years.
“...There is a new atmosphere in the entire country and this birthday of Lord Ram has come after 500 years when he got the privilege of celebrating his birthday in his own home,” Modi.
A 'Surya Tilak' (Sun’s rays) illuminated the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol at Ayodhya Temple on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday afternoon. The 'Surya tilak' of the deity was made possible by an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses. The system was tested by the scientists on Tuesday.
This was the first Ram Navami celebration at the temple since its inauguration on January 22 by the prime minister.
Also Read | Ayodhya's Ram Temple priests perform ‘Divya Abhishek’ for Ram Lalla
Earlier today, Modi extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of Ram Navami saying his heart is filled with joy and gratitude on this sacred occasion.
“This is the first Ram Navami when our Ram Lalla has been enthroned in the grand Ram temple of Ayodhya. Today Ayodhya is in an unparalleled joy in this celebration of Ram Navami,” Modi wrote on X. “After waiting for five centuries, today we have got the privilege of celebrating this Ram Navami in Ayodhya in this manner.”
The prime minister also said the occasion is also a moment to remember and pay homage to countless devotees of Lord Ram and saintly figures who dedicated their entire lives to the construction of the Ram temple.
During his visit to Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebration in 2022, PM Modi had suggested to the trust members of the temple that the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Mandir should be constructed in such a way that sun rays fall directly on the Ram Lalla idol on Ram Navami, a phenomenon similar to the one at the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha.
