Ayodhya Ram Temple’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’ anniversary moved to January 11. Here’s why
The Trust set ‘pran prathishtha’ anniversary date after consulting saints and following the tradition of observing Hindu festivals as per the Hindu calendar.
As the anniversary of the ‘pran prathishtha’ approaches, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust announced that the first anniversary will be celebrated on January 11, instead of January 22.
During a meeting held on Monday, the Trust decided, after consulting with saints and considering the tradition of observing Hindu festivals according to the Hindu calendar (Panchang), that the annual celebration of the Prana Pratishtha of Prabhu Shri Ramlalla Sarkar will be held on Paush Shukla Dwadashi, also known as Kurma Dwadashi. This date will henceforth be referred to as Pratishtha Dwadashi. In 2025, it will fall on January 11.
Preparations ahead of the anniversary
In the meeting, the Ram Temple Trust made several other decisions ahead of the anniversary:
- Apollo Hospital, Delhi, will establish a state-of-the-art healthcare facility covering 3,000 square meters near the Yatri Seva Kendra within the temple complex.
- A new facility will be built at the southern end of the complex, which will include an auditorium with a 500-seat capacity, a guesthouse, and an office for the Trust. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das Ji Maharaj inaugurated the project by unveiling the foundation plaque.
- The temporary German hangars, which were previously used to protect visitors from the elements, will be replaced with a permanent 9-meter-wide, 600-metre-long shed.
- Construction progress is scheduled as follows: the Sapt Mandal Mandir will be completed by March, the Sheshavatar Mandir by August, and the outer parkota of the Mandir by October.
When will the temple construction be completed?
The Ram temple in Ayodhya, originally set to be completed by June 2025, is now expected to be finished by September 2025 due to construction delays, PTI reported. Nripendra Misra, the chairman of the construction committee, explained that a shortage of around 200 workers has contributed to the delay.
Additionally, the committee plans to replace certain stones on the first floor, as some are "weak and thin." This replacement is intended to ensure the temple’s long-term durability.
Around 8.5 lakh cubic feet of red 'Bansi Paharpur' stones have been delivered for the boundary wall, but the shortage of workers has hindered progress. In a recent meeting, the committee also assessed the construction status of other structures, including the auditorium, boundary, and circumambulation path.
The temple is also awaiting statues for Lord Ram’s court and the six surrounding temples from Jaipur production centres. These statues are expected to arrive in Ayodhya by December. Two Ram Lalla statues, already accepted by the temple trust, will be installed in prominent locations.