Ayodhya Ram Mandir Highlights: UP CM Yogi lights 'Ram Jyoti' after 'pran pratishtha' ceremony

Following the completion of the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla idol, a saint tied a sacred thread around PM Modi's hand. PM Modi also performed 'sashtang pranaam' before the idol of Ram Lalla as part of the concluding rituals.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dressed in traditional golden attire, presided over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya temple.
• Tens of thousands of devotees celebrated outside the temple in Ayodhya, with military helicopters showering flower petals from the sky.
• Modi expressed that he sees himself as an instrument representing all of India during the "auspicious" temple opening.
• The temple opening is marked by excitement, with Hindu believers dancing in the streets and religious tunes playing through giant loudspeakers.
• The event has a festival-like atmosphere with thousands of musicians performing.
• The atmosphere around Ayodhya showcases the prominence of Hindu imagery, including billboards featuring Lord Ram and political figures like Modi and Yogi Adityanath.
• Modi supporters see the event as fulfilling political promises, while critics argue that it creates an election-like atmosphere.

External affairs minister said that the soul of a civilisation found expression once again at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

"And the message of virtue, honour, justice and commitment reverberates around the world," he said in a social media post on X.

The new idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the newly constructed temple in Ayodhya, marked by grand celebrations in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi participated in the rituals, walking inside the temple premises with a silver 'chattar' and taking 'sankalp' for the "pran pratishtha ceremony." Dressed in a golden kurta and cream dhoti, he performed rituals in the sanctum sanctorum. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present.

During the completion of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Prime Minister Modi symbolically opens the eyes of the deity, a ritual that signifies the consecration and awakening of the divine presence. Following this symbolic act, air force helicopters shower flowers on the deity, adding a grand and celebratory touch to the event. In a gesture of reverence, Prime Minister Modi then touches the feet of the deity.

The commencement of the auspicious time during the ceremony is marked by the blowing of conch shells.

As part of the ongoing 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony, the old idol, which has been worshipped at the makeshift temple until now, will be positioned in front of the newly consecrated 51-inch idol of Ram Lalla.

Visuals of PM Modi performing Pran Pratishtha rituals in the Garbha Graha (sanctum sanctorum) of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Another phase of the ceremony involves the process of taking Sankalp (a solemn vow or resolution). As part of this ritual, a lotus flower is placed in the hands of Prime Minister Modi.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir LIVE updates: The Prime Minister has reached the temple complex, where he walks barefoot carrying what appears to be a silver crown for the deity. The air is filled with chants of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Har Har Mahadev." The Prime Minister ascends 33 steps to the temple complex. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, RSS chief, Governor, and Chairman of the Ram Mandir Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, are also present at the Ram Mandir sanctum-sanctorum.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Champat Rai, the Secretary-General of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, is addressing the devotees ahead of Ram Temple consecration ceremony.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Mukesh Ambani, the chairperson of Reliance Industries, and Nita Ambani, the founder and chairperson of Reliance Foundation, have arrived at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya to participate in the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony. Nita Ambani said that it is a historic day, while Mukesh Ambani asserted that January 22 will be like Ram Diwali for the entire country.

Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the grand Ram temple to participate in the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla.

Ram Mandir LIVE updates: A star-studded contingent from the Indian film industry, including iconic actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi, and popular couples Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif, arrived in Ayodhya on Monday to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple. Filmmakers Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, actors Ayushmann Khurrana, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and others also joined the grand event. The list of attendees also includes Hema Malini, Rajinikanth, Pawan Kalyan, Shankar Mahadevan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Subhash Ghai, Shefali Shah, Vipul Shah, Randeep Hooda, Lin Laishram, Aadinath Mangeshkar, Anu Malik, and Sonu Nigam, among others. Amitabh Bachchan, accompanied by his son Abhishek Bachchan, left for Ayodhya from Mumbai on Monday. At the temple premises, he was seen interacting with Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the 1987 TV serial "Ramayan." The Bachchans also met BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad and industrialist Anil Ambani at the venue.

Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi visited the Sri Kodandaramaswami Temple in Chennai and alleged that priests and staff faced 'repression' while the rest of the country celebrated the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. This comes amid BJP's claims of a 'ban' by the DMK regime on celebrations and public screenings for the consecration.

He alleged: "There was an all-pervasive sense of invisible fear and apprehensions writ large on the faces of priests and temple staff. A stark contrast to the festive environment in the rest of the country. While the entire country is celebrating the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla, the temple premises here exude a sense of acute repression."

Ayodhya Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Tripura's BJP-IPFT government declared ' dry day' on Monday for the much-awaited inauguration of the Ram Mandir and pran pratistha of the idol of 'Ramlala' at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Ram Mandir LIVE updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Ayodhya to preside over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla idol. The prime minister landed at the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport and will head to the helipad from there.

Ram Mandir LIVE updates: The Tamil Nadu government informed the Supreme Court that there is no ban on holding screenings of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishta ceremony or organising special poojas and bhajans on the occasion. The Supreme Court recorded this statement from the state government. The top court recorded this statement and conveyed to the state government that permission should not be rejected solely on the ground that other communities are residing in the locality.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration LIVE updates: Bageshwar Dham's Dhirendra Shastri, Yoga Guru Ramdev, and Swami Chidanand Saraswati have arrived at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple to attend the pran pratishtha ceremony.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration LIVE updates: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performs pooja at his residence ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has arrived at Ram Temple in Ayodhya to participate in the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla. He will be present inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple alongside Prime Minister Modi.

Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal expressed her joy and gratitude for being present at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on this significant day.

“I think this is a big day for all of us. I am fortunate to have received the opportunity to be here today. We will have the darshan of Lord Ram here. So, we are waiting for that moment...I can't express my joy in words,” Nehwal, who joined the BJP in 2020, said ahead of the grand event.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration LIVE updates: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has arrived at the Ram Temple to oversee the preparations for the grand Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

Members of the Indian diaspora in the US participated in various celebrations ahead of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. At the Hindu Temple of Minnesota, they sang the Ram Bhajan. In Trinidad and Tobago, celebrations were organized by the Ram Janmabhoomi Sthapna Samiti in collaboration with Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir and the Indian diaspora. In New York, members of the 'Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir' distributed laddoos at Times Square. Multiple events have been planned across the US to commemorate this significant occasion.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration LIVE updates: A clash erupted between members of two communities during a vehicle rally on the outskirts of Mumbai. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm on Sunday when a group of people in three cars and several motorcycles were taking part in a rally, chanting slogans in praise of Lord Ram ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Some participants allegedly burst firecrackers during the rally, leading to an argument with locals who came out with wooden sticks. A confrontation ensued, and the people on the vehicles were reportedly attacked. Police said that heavy security deployment was made in the area to prevent any law and order issue further.