1st Anniversary Celebrations Of Ram Lalla Idol Consecration Ceremony Starts In Ayodhya

'Abhishek' of Ram Lalla was performed and the deity was offered 56 dishes. The events will take place till January 13.

Ayodhya:The first anniversary celebrations of the Ram Lalla idol consecration ceremony were held in Ayodhya with a large number of devotees reaching the holy city to take part in events. Religious and cultural programmes commenced in the Ram Temple complex starting Saturday. The events will take place

The anniversary celebrations began with the recitation of Yajurveda. In view of the events, the VIP Darshan has been closed till January 13. The temple will remain open from 6.30 AM to 9 PM.

The programme on Saturday started with the bath, Abhishek, worship and Maha Aarti of Lord Ram. Mangala Aarti and Shringar Aarti of the deity were also performed. Then, the doors were opened for Ram devotees. After this, Lord Ram was anointed with Panchamrit at 10.20 am. Milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar along with water from the Saryu River were also added to it.

After this, the deity was made to wear a Pitambari woven with gold and silver threads. Gold ornaments and a crown studded with diamonds and emeralds were also worn. Aarti was performed at 12:20 in Abhijit Muhurta. The program took place in the presence of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, President of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and other noted saints.

After this, 56 types of dishes were offered to Lord Ram. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived late than the scheduled time. He could not perform the anointment of Ramlala. He could not reach due to a technical fault in the helicopter, sources said.

Other events started at 2:00 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Ram Mandir will become a great inspiration in the accomplishment of the resolution of a developed India. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Best wishes to all the countrymen on the first anniversary of the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. This temple, built after centuries of sacrifice, penance and struggle, is a great heritage of our culture and spirituality. I am confident that this divine and magnificent Ram temple will become a great inspiration in the accomplishment of the resolution of a developed India."

21 Vedic Acharyas will chant six lakh Shri Ram Beej Mantras on all three days. Offerings are being made in the Yagnyawith 1975 mantras related to 40 chapters of 11 Vedic Shukla Yajurveda Madhyandin branch. Every offering is dedicated to human welfare. Ayodhya Municipal Corporation Mayor Girishpati Tripathi and his wife are the main hosts in this. Apart from this, Hanuman Chalisa, Shri Ram Stotra, Purush Sukta, Aditya Hridaya Sukta, Vishnu Sahasranama will also be recited on all three days. Every evening from 6:00 to 9:00, there will be a song in praise of Lord Ram Lalla.

The court of Ram Lalla is decorated with flowers. Anup Mishra, a resident who has reached the temple to witness the anniversary celebrations, said, "We were not able to reach the Ram Janmabhoomi when the Pran Pratistha was done in January 2024, but this time we are fortunate enough to reach the court of Ram Lalla on the first anniversary."

Another devotee, Sarla Maheshwari who has come from Bhopal, said, "We reached Ayodhya two days ago to take part in the anniversary celebrations, and felt excited that today we will see the deity."

Scheduled from January 11 to 13, the celebrations aim to include common people, who were unable to attend the historic ceremony last year, alongside around 110 invited VIPs, according to the temple trust.

A German hangar tent has been installed at the Angad Teela site, capable of hosting up to 5,000 people. Common people will have the opportunity to witness the grand event, which includes classical cultural performances, rituals, and daily Ram Katha discourses at the pavilion and Yagnashala.

"The trust has decided to invite common people who could not attend the initial consecration ceremony last year. They will be allowed to join all three days of events at Angad Teela," Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had earlier said.

The trust also said that invitation letters have been distributed to guests, including the 110 VIPs, many of whom missed the original pran pratishtha ceremony on January 22, 2024. "Those unable to attend last year will be included in this anniversary celebration," Rai had said.

The pavilion and Yagnashala will serve as key venues for these festivities, providing a rare opportunity for the public to be part of the ongoing celebrations.

The Trust has already extended invitations to saints and devotees from across the country, with Rai urging residents and pilgrims to participate in the celebrations, making at least a one-day visit during the three-day festival and experiencing the spiritual atmosphere of Ayodhya.

An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, 2024, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandir's construction to build the foundation of a "strong, capable and divine" India of the next 1,000 years.

As the inauguration of the temple marked the culmination of a decades-long campaign, mostly under the Hindutva banner, to reclaim a disputed religious site in Ayodhya, Modi said it was the advent of a new era.