Advani, MM Joshi likely to join 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram Temple through video conferencing

20:15 August 03

With Ram temple construction set to begin, VHP will now work towards a 'Ram Rajya': Working prez

With the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya set to begin on August 5, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) will now work towards making India a "Ram Rajya" and particularly focus on uplifting Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, its working president Alok Kumar said on Monday.

For the VHP, which spearheaded the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the mission was not just to build a temple in the birthplace of Lord Ram but to establish a "Ram Rajya" as well, he asserted.

"There was no poverty and sickness during the reign of Sri Ram. The VHP will now focus more on establishing 'Ram Rajya', a harmonious society based on equality,

The VHP leader said unless and until the society embraces Shabris and Nishadrajs and bridges the gap between "the high and the low", the dream of a 'Ram Rajya' cannot be realised. Shabri and Nishadraj are characters of the epic Ramayana belonging to lower strata of the society.

20:13 August 03

'Shiv Sena contributed Rs 1 crore for Ram temple in Ayodhya' Mumbai

The Shiv Sena has contributed Rs 1 crore for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya ahead of the "bhoomi pujan" scheduled for August 5 as announced by
Maharashtra Chief Minister and the party president Uddhav Thackeray earlier this year, the party said on Monday. The amount was transferred to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's bank account via real-time gross settlement (RTGS) on July 27, the Sena said on Twitter.

It also shared the July 27 letter written by Thackeray to the chairman of the Trust, saying the said amount had been transferred that day.

The Sena's clarification came amidst reports quoting Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, chairman of the trust, as saying that no money was received from the saffron party as promised.
Thackeray had announced the monetary contribution on March 7 this year during his visit to Ayodhya to commemorate 100 days in office as the chief minister.

17:19 August 03

Advani, MM Joshi likely to join 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram Temple through video conferencing

Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are likely to join the 'bhoomi pujan' of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5 through video conferencing due to health conditions, sources said. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5, according to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. The construction work of the Ram temple will begin after the foundation stone laying ceremony, in which chief ministers of several states, ministers from the Union Cabinet and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to participate. 

According to potters in the state, around 1.25 lakh diyas were ordered for the ceremony on August 5. Preparations, including a cleanliness drive and sanitisation, are underway in Ayodhya ahead of the foundation laying ceremony of the Ram Temple. People were seen cleaning the roads, markets and ghats. 

17:13 August 03

Congress always act as a hurdle for Ram temple: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Congress should look in its past. They didn't want that a foundation stone be laid where Lord Ram was placed. They didn't want the conclusion of the issue...They divide people on the basis of caste, religion and beliefs."

16:44 August 03

No one can join ceremony without valid invitation card: VHP Champat Rai

While elaborating the features of the invitation card designed for the bhumi pujan ceremony, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Vice- President said that the card has been equipped with a bar code at the front which can be used only at once. If a person moves out of the ceremony for any reason, he/she will not be able to rejoin the ceremony.

16:32 August 03

UP CM offers prayer at Hanuman Garhi temple

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered prayer at Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi temple on Monday. While speaking to a news agency he said, "We've made all arrangements to ensure that there is no laxity on any count. The main focus is on COVID-19. The protocol has to be enforced very strictly. Only those who are invited should come here. All devotees want to come but PM will represent all of them."

15:42 August 03

Thackeray unlikely to attend Ram temple 'bhoomi pujan'

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is unlikely to visit Ayodhya for the bhoomi pujan for Ram temple construction there on August 5 owing to the serious COVID-19 situation in the Uttar Pradesh town, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut indicated on Monday. "It is important that the PM is going. The chief
minister (Thackeray) can go there anytime, Raut told reporters here while extending good wishes for the ceremony.

Raut reiterated the Shiv Senas contribution in the Ram temple construction campaign, and said the party has given Rs one crore for the purpose of building the temple.
"The outbreak of COVID-19 in Ayodhya and surrounding areas is a matter of concern...Uttar Pradesh's minister Kamal Rani (Varun) lost life (due to the disease), while three other ministers are infected," Raut said.
"I think as less people as possible should go there and the ceremony there be held. It is important that the PM is going. The chief minister (Thackeray) can go there anytime, the Rajya Sabha member said.
Asked if Thackeray has not been invited for the ceremony, Raut said, Nobody is waiting for the invitation." He said the chief priest of the temple and security guards there have been quarantined.
       

14:24 August 03

UP CM Yogi Adityanath takes stock of situation in Ayodhya ahead of bhoomi pujan on Aug 5

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has reached Ayodhya to take stock of situation ahead of the bhoomi pujan of the grand Ram Mandir whose foundation stone will be laid by PM Modi.

12:37 August 03

Ayodhya dispute litigant Iqbal Ansari gets first invite for bhoomi pujan

‘I believe it’s Lord Ram's wish’: Ayodhya dispute litigant Iqbal Ansari gets first invite for bhoomi pujan

Iqbal Ansari, who was one of the litigants in the Ayodhya land dispute case, on Monday received the first invitation for the Ram Temple’s foundation stone-laying ceremony.

Elated after getting the invitation, Ansari said, “I believe it was Lord Ram's wish that I receive the first invitation. I accept it."

10:38 August 03

MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan appeals people to light earthen lamps at homes on Aug 5

Ahead of 'Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony for Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "I have a belief that with the construction of RamTemple, Ram Rajya (or goal of ideal of governance) will come to the country under PM Modi's leadership. I appeal to all to light earthen lamps at their homes on the nights of 4th & 5th August to express our happiness."

10:36 August 03

Uma Bharti not to attend Ram Temple 'Bhoomi Pujan', will visit site later

BJP National Vice President Uma Bharti on Monday stated that she will visit Ayodhya but not attend the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony for Ram temple in view of rising COVID-19 cases and would visit the site after the official ceremony.

"From the moment I have heard the news that Home Minister Amit Shah and some other Uttar Pradesh BJP leaders have tested positive for COVID-19, I am worried about the safety of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people present in Ayodhya for the foundation stone laying ceremony," Uma Bharti tweeted in Hindi.

"I have informed the officials of Ram Janmabhoomi trust that I will be present on the bank of Saryu river in Ayodhya at the time bhoomi pujan will take place," she added.

09:42 August 03

Brothers bring water from 151 rivers, 3 seas for 'bhumi pujan'

Two brothers, both in their 70s, have collected water from 151 rivers across the country and three seas and have now brought it to Ayodhya ahead of the 'bhumi pujan' of the Ram temple.

Radhey Shyam Pandey and Pandit Triphala, who belong to Jaunpur district, have been collecting water from the Indian rivers and seas and also soil from 16 places in Sri Lanka since 1968.

"It has always been our dream that whenever the Ram Temple gets constructed, we will gift the holy water from rivers across India and soil from Sri Lanka. We have collected water from 151 rivers, three seas and soil from 16 places in Sri Lanka," said Radhey Shyam Pandey.

Since 1968 to 2019, the brothers have been travelling on foot, cycle, motorcycle, train, and airplane to collect the elements.

09:38 August 03

Morari Bapu raises donation for Ram temple to over Rs 18 cr

The revered Ram Katha narrator in Gujarat, Morari Bapu, who had pledged a total of Rs five crore for the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, on Sunday raised it to a total of Rs 18.61 crore.

Addressing the online viewers of the Ram Katha from the Pithoriya Hanuman temple, Morari Bapu said, "I had pledged to donate Rs 5 crore for the Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya from the Chitrkutdham. But, as it turns out, we have received a total contribution of over Rs 18 crore."

09:25 August 03

PM Modi will visit Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya ahead of 'Bhoomi Pujan'

As 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram temple is all set to take place on August 5 in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the religious ceremony by performing puja at Hanumangarhi temple. The move comes as it is believed that "without Lord Hanuman, no work of Lord Ram can begin".

Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be performing the special puja at Hanumangarhi. 

The Prime Minister will first visit the Hanumangarhi temple to offer prayers and then he will go to Ram Janmabhoomi for laying the foundation stone for Ram temple.

08:59 August 03

Ram temple 'bhoomi pujan': Ayodhya dispute litigant Iqbal Ansari gets first invite

Ayodhya:The rituals preceding the 'bhumi pujan' of the Ram temple began here on Monday with an elaborate 'Gauri Ganesh' puja.

The three-day rituals that will culminate with the 'bhumi pujan' that will be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, began with the Ganesh puja that is considered mandatory for all major occasions in the Hindu religion.

The 'puja' began at 8.a.m with chanting of mantras by 11 priests while 'Ramayana path' were held in various other temples.

"Ayodhya has woken up to 'Treta Yug' today. The only sounds that one hears in this holy city today are chanting of mantras, 'aartis' and 'Ramayana path' amid pealing of bells. This is the beginning of the three-day ritual that will culminate with 'bhumi pujan' and also mark the beginning of temple construction," said Mahant Satyendra, a local priest.

Maharaj Kanhaiya Das of Sant Samiti said, "There could not be a more auspicious occasion than this. With the blessings of Lord Ganesh, the temple will be completed without any hindrance now."

IANS