Ahead of the pran pratishtha ceremony to be held at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in Ram temple, several states have declared half-day or complete holiday for the occasion. The steps only back the claims of the opposition party who have labelled the event as a political one. Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Gujarat and Chandigarh have declared half-day holiday for Monday. Maharashtra announced Monday as public holiday.
The state governments have declared half day holiday for Monday for schools, colleges, as well as all state government institutions. The central government had earlier announced first half as a holiday for all government employees.
The Prana Pratishtha will be conducted in the august presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Mohan Bhagwat, Governor of Uttar Pradesh Anandiben Patel, and Chief Minister of UP Yogi Adityanath, among other dignitaries.
The premiere medical institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences also declared half day holiday on Monday and all OPD services will be unavailable till 2.30pm on January 22. Emergency, critical care and medical relief will remain operational through the day.
Grand Preparations
Preparations for the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya have been on for months now. On one hand, the administration and police department have been working on various aspects of maintaining the security and law and order; and on the other hand, temples and devotees from across India have been preparing for the day in their own way. Shri Mehndipur Balaji Mandir Nyas provided Prasad (two laddoos each of 500gm), 2000 blankets, and other items for the pilgrims reaching Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
During the run-up to the ceremony, people from different states have also donated water, soil, gold, silver, gems, clothes, jewellery, huge bells, drums, aroma/fragrance items, including Bhaars (gifts sent at the time of setting up a daughter’s house) from Nepal (believed to be Goddess Sita’s maternal homes, Janakpur) and Sitamarhi (Bihar).
Checklist for visiting devotees
The temple trust has confirmed that an invitation to the ceremony will not provide access to the temple and the ceremony on January 22. Special entry passes are being issued to people who will be allowed entry to the premises.
According to the trust, After the completion of the Prana Pratishtha programme in the Garbha-Griha, all the witnesses will have darshan.