Miracle has happened in our lifetime.... Ram Mandir is here......
Modi says "Ram is not a dispute. Ram is the solution,"
22nd January 2024 is not a mere date on the calendar, it is the origin of a new ‘kaal chakra’”
“I thank the Indian judiciary for preserving the dignity of justice. The temple of Lord Ram, epitome of justice, was built in a just manner”
“In my 11-day fast and ritual, I attempted to touch places where Shri Ram walked”
“From the sea to the Saryu river, the same festive spirit of Ram's name is prevalent everywhere”
“Ram Katha is infinite and Ramayan too is endless. Ideals, values and teachings of Ram are the same everywhere
Modi in his historic speech after consecration of the sacred Ram Temple hailed Monday's ceremony as "the beginning of a new time cycle".
The Prime Minister did not directly mention the Babri Masjid in his speech, nor the country's Muslims but said, "Ram is not a dispute. Ram is the solution".
"By moving ahead of building the Temple, now we all take the oath of building an India that is capable, successful, beautiful and divine."
"Today our Lord Ram has come. After centuries of waiting, our Ram has arrived," Modi said. "Our Ram idol will not stay in a tent anymore. Our Ram idol will stay in a divine temple now."
"The sun of 22th January, has brought with it a wonderful aura. 22 January 2024 is not just a date on a calendar but a beginning of a new time cycle."
"Even a thousand years later, people will be discussing this date and time," Modi said in his speech.
Minutes before his speech, Modi broke an 11-day religious fast that he had undertaken to prepare for the festivities.
Military helicopters showered flower petals on the newly constructed Janmabhoomi temple as the consecration took place.
Religious fervour gripped Ayodhya with biting cold failing to dampen the spirits of those who have flocked here to witness the historic moment.
CNN website says,
-- Many Hindus will be celebrating the opening of the much-awaited complex, which is seen by them as the birthplace of Ram.
But for the country's minority Muslim population, it's a painful reminder of religious divisions that have grown more pronounced under Modi's rule.
Western media .... pushes their oft-repeated line !! Muslims have been 'wronged' :::: Minorities should not fall in their trap
A laser show on the banks of Sarayu River in Ayodhya on Jan. 21 on the eve of the consecration ceremony of a temple to the Hindu deity Ram. (Photo: UCAN/AFP)
BBC also reported that, in Ayodhya, some Muslims told the BBC before the event that the day evoked fear and painful memories for them. Some said they would send their children out of the city, fearing tensions might be stoked when the streets filled with Hindu devotees from around the country.
One 55-year-old devotee said he traveled for three days in a jam-packed train to attend the celebration.
"It's a moment we have all dreamed of for decades...I think the people and Ram will definitely bless Modi for this."
Ayodhya has seen a multimillion dollar infrastructure makeover ahead of temple opening
"The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India", PM Narendra Modi has said when he launched an 11-day ritual fast ahead of the "auspicious" occasion.
Excitement has reached a fever pitch, with thousands of Hindu believers dancing in packed streets as giant loudspeakers blast out religious tunes.
Vijay Kumar, 18, took four days to reach the town after walking and hitchhiking 600 kilometers (370 miles).
"We just wanted to be here ....we just wish to see the temple before we leave," he said.
About 2,500 musicians are to perform on over 100 stages for the crowds of pilgrims, desperate to see the elaborate temple, built at an estimated $240 million that the project's backers say was sourced from public donations.
The 140 kilometers (87 miles) between the town and Uttar Pradesh state capital Lucknow is a seemingly endless stream of billboards of blue-skinned Ram with bow and arrow -- as well as of Modi and the region's chief minister, the saffron-robed Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath.
Ayodhya town has recently undergone a large infrastructural makeover, including the construction of a new international airport, renovation of the railway station and the opening of new roads and highways.
Some of the city’s historic and religious sites have also been restored, according to local media reports, while new hotels, food courts and multi-storey carparks scattered throughout the city.
Some leaders within Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party have called Ayodhya India's "Vatican City," vying to make it the religious capital of the country.
Analysts say Uttar Pradesh’s BJP chief minister, the hardline Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath, has relied on a mixed strategy of economic reform and religious polarization to attract votes.
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| L K Advani's now famous remarks in 1990 |
Other highlights:
Actor Anupam Kher posted a photo alongside South Indian cinema icon Rajinikanth to the social media platform X, expressing his excitement over being in Ayodhya.
** Actress Kangana Ranaut says, Ayodhya will emerge a more attractive global pilgrim hub than even Vatican.
Hindu devotees stay in tents at a camp for people arriving to attend the temple's opening in Ayodhya, India, on Friday. (CNN/AP snap)
A 1,100 kg lamp and the world’s largest incense stick are among gifts being brought to Ayodhya
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Faceless contributors to the cause of Ram Temple -- Dec 28, 2023 (deserve all credit for hard work and passion) |
"The extraordinary moment of the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla's life in Ayodhya Dham is going to leave everyone emotional. It is my great pleasure to be a part of this divine programme. Hail Siya Ram!" Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
"Indian society maintained restraint, but the resolve for a temple kept growing stronger," Yogi Adityanath, the controversial monk-turned-politician told thousands of guests outside the Ram Mandir. "Now everyone wants to come to Ayodhya," UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said in his speech.
"This is the victory of public faith and public trust, the re-establishment of India's pride... The establishment of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is an important ritual of cultural reawakening of India. This is a national temple."
On January 22 India proved to the world that it can ride over any challenges. The way the grand Ram Mandir was inaugurated with the Consecration of Ram Lalla idol with brief and eye catching ceremony, The PM displayed his resolve to to put all naysayers to the bin. Whole nation was in awe. Every corner of the country watched the spectacle that was telecast live on the TV. It was in fact good that Congress leaders declined the invitation and stayed away. Looking at the flow of events I felt there was no need for them to be there. If you don't believe in the Hindu rituals you better stay away..my grudge is that the opponents to the Ram mandir labelled it as an BJP event. It was a national event. 500 years of wait had come to an end. Unfortunately The opponents went o the extreme of saying how could Consicration be performed in an unfinished temple. This Congress party when it was in power made sure that Ram lalla stayed in a rickety tent for years together. As if that was fine than this grand temple, which is almost complete and only needs some finishing touches. In fact January 22 was chosen as the date for the Consicration ceremony because exactly on this day as per the Hindu calendar Ram was born in Treta Yug. One doesn't get such dates in a lifetime that's why this day was important. To expect the opponents to understand this is like banging head against a wall
ReplyDeleteThe opponents in fact doubted the very existence of Ram and submitted the same statement in the supreme court. For those who do not believe Ram ever took birth there is no recourse, but to take jal samadhi. Sarayu river is is closeby the Ram Mandir. This was the same river where hundreds of kar sevaks were thrown in with sand bags tied to their dead bodies after the then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh yadav had ordered their massacre when they had gathered to do kar seva on October 30, 1990 -- Kirti Patil, Pune