Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration: Highlights from Pran Pratishtha ceremony 

Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the rituals of the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony at the “historic” Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday, January 22, 2024, after which the Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple.

Following are a few glimpses of the ceremony at the Ram Temple:

Donned in a golden kurta and a cream-colored dhoti, PM Modi walked into the temple premises with a silver ‘chattar’ (umbrella) placed on a red folded dupatta. He took ‘sankalp’ for the “Pran Pratishtha ceremony” and later moved to the sanctum-sanctorum for the rituals.

The Prime Minister performed the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony, a vital ritual in the Hindu tradition, that symbolizes the infusion of divine energy into the idol.

After the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony, PM Modi performed the ‘aarti’ of the Ram Lalla idol,  after which he performed ‘parikrama’ of the deity and did ‘dandvat pranam’. This act of devotion, characterized by prostrating fully with one’s forehead touching the ground, is to mark the utmost reverence and humility in Hindu tradition.

The Prime Minister met the ‘sadhus’ (saints) who were present at the temple and took blessings from them.

He completed his 11-day fast by taking Charanamrit from the hands of Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. He greeted Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ program attendees, among whom were some high profile names, like actors Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani, former PM HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy.

Prayers were also offered before Lord Shiva where Modi performed ‘jalabhishek’ (offering water on the ‘Shiva linga’) after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

Throughout the ritual of Pran Pratishtha, the lotus flower remained in the hands of the Prime Minister. He went on to shower flower petals on the workers who were a part of the construction crew at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.

Modi was joined by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.
Distinguished individuals from various domains, including cricket, film, religious leader, politics, art, literature, culture, and other fields, attended the ceremony.