Adorned with gold and flowers, the 51-inch Ram Lalla idol was unveiled before the ‘pran pratistha’ ceremony at the Ayodhya temple, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The consecration took place in the sanctum sanctorum, with PM Modi offering prayers alongside saints, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat also present. The idol, crafted by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj, had been veiled before today’s ceremony.
Representing a five-year-old Ram, the ground-floor idol is part of the new temple. The first floor, yet to be built, will feature idols of Raja Ram, Sita, Laxman, and Hanuman. Earlier, a viral photograph of the idol stirred controversy, leading the temple’s chief priest to demand an investigation into its circulation, citing the secrecy of Lord Ram’s eyes before ‘Pran Pratishtha.’
A multitude of celebrities and notable figures attended the ground consecration ceremony, with over 11,000 invitations sent out. Despite accusations of politicization by some parties, the Opposition largely stayed away, with a few leaders expressing intentions to visit the temple at a later time.
