This day ushers in new era: Modi

Ayodhya: As the world was soaked in devotion of Ram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi donning a golden kurta and a cream-coloured dhoti, led the rituals of "Pran Pratishtha" ceremony at the "historic" Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday.

The Prime Minister took part in the consecration ceremony inside the sanctum sanctorum of the grand Ram temple made possible by a historic Supreme Court judgment in 2019 on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. He said it was now time to move beyond the construction of the temple and resolve to build a strong, grand and divine India.

“This day gives a message to the youth that they represent a generation of India… that is hoisting the flag on the moon and is successfully conducting Mission Aditya by travelling 15 lakh km to the Sun. You have to write the new dawn of India while being proud of your heritage,” he added. He further said that this grand temple will be a witness to the rise of magnificent India.

The Prime Minister said in the first copy of India’s Constitution, Lord Ram is present. “Even after the Constitution came into existence, legal battles regarding the existence of Lord Ram continued for decades. I express my gratitude to India’s judiciary, which has maintained the dignity of justice. The temple of Lord Ram, synonymous with justice, has also been built in a justified manner,” he said.

Most opposition leaders invited to the event skipped the ceremony, accusing his government of making it a political exercise with an eye on the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The 16th Century Babri mosque had stood at the site, whose ownership was a matter of contesting claims in courts before a frenzied mob of ‘kar sevaks’ tore it down in 1992. A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court in November 2019 ruled unanimously in favour of the Hindu group, ending the protracted dispute around the site which devotees believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.

The temple, built in the traditional Nagara style of architecture, spans 380 feet in length (east-west), 250 feet in width and 161 feet in height. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors.