In pics: Fireworks, havan and ceremonious rituals as India celebrates historic Ram mandir bhoomi pujan

Ayodhya is spruced up and all decked with freshly painted buildings and decorations adorning every nook and corner of the town.

Uttar Pradesh’s temple town of Ayodhya witnessed the historic foundation laying ceremony of Ram temple on Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ayodhya on Wednesday and marked the occasion by laying the foundation stone of the grand temple and performing bhoomi pujan ritual. The momentous ceremony saw Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, among other dignitaries, in attendance.

Havan at VHP office at Delhi to celebrate Ram Janam Bhumi Shilanayas. (Vipin Kumar/HT)

Streets of the temple town are decked up ahead Wednesday’s momentous bhooman pujan ceremony. (Vipin Kumar /HT)

Ayodhya is spruced up and all decked with freshly painted buildings and decorations adorning every nook and corner of the town.

In pics: Clad in golden dhoti-kurta, PM performs Ram temple bhoomi pujan

Havan at VHP office at Delhi to celebrate Ram Janam Bhumi Shilanayas Photo Vipin Kumar (Vipin Kumar/HT )

Not just the temple town, celebrations marked the grand event across the country.

Delhi BJP workers celebrating on the historical Day of the Ram Temple bhoomi pujan . (Sonu Mehta/HT )

Over 11,000 diyas are set to be lit across the city of Ayodhya, illuminating every street and all houses will be celebrating with a ‘deepotsava’, a festival of lights.

A devotee celebrating on the ocassion of Ram temple bhoomi pujan in Ayodhya. (Sonu Mehta/HT)

Around 175 eminent guests have been invited for the ‘bhoomi poojan’ of Ram temple.

An exclusive pic of Ram Janm Bhoomi Sthali which has been temporarily created for pooja. PM Modi will perform rituals at this place after laying stone foundation of Ram Temple. (Deepak Gupta/HT)

Besides Prime Minister Modi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, Mahant Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be present on stage.

As per the priest at Ram temple bhoomi pujan, nine bricks were kept at the site of the ceremony which were sent by the devotees of Lord Ram from around the world in 1989.

“There are 2 lakh 75 thousand such bricks out of which 100 bricks with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ engraving have been taken,” the priest said during the ceremony as reported by ANI.

Locals light up earthen lamp in front of their houses to mark the bhoomi pujan event Ram Temple in Ayodhya. (Deepak Gupta/HT)

Several devotees have also donated silver bricks to the trust. All of them will be used for the ceremony on Wednesday and will be encashed for the construction of Ram Mandir.

Tight security in place across the temple town of Ayodhya. (Deepak Gupta/HT)

Around 100,000 lamps will be lit on the banks of the Saryu River on Wednesday.

A saint performs rituals at the bank of river Saryu as he came to participate in Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. (Deepak Gupta/HT)

Celebratory mood also reverberated across continents as members of the Indian community were seen taking to the streets in Washington DC, chanting Jai Shree Ram and waving saffron flags.

People of Indian community celebrate Ayodhya’s ‘bhoomi pujan’ in Washington DC, US. (ANI)