As the eagerly awaited grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya approaches, the city is undergoing a transformation, adorned with vibrant flowers, dazzling lights, and intricate sculptures. With just a few days left, preparations are in full swing to welcome an anticipated 20 million attendees over the next three months.
The meticulous planning aims to make this event a grand affair, with over 7,000 invitations extended to guests nationwide. The list includes distinguished figures from politics, entertainment, sports, and those who made significant contributions to the Ram Mandir movement.
A comprehensive campaign, led by workers from the Sangh Parivar and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), is reaching out to Hindu households, offering yellow rice, images of Ram Lalla, stickers, and a detailed history of Ram Janmabhoomi. The beautifully crafted invitation cards, in harmony with the temple’s grandeur, feature an imposing image of the structure and a depiction of a young Lord Ram.
Each invitation set comprises the main invitation card, the “Pran Pratishtha” program card, and a booklet narrating the journey of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, acknowledging those directly or indirectly involved. The main card cover showcases an image of the upcoming Ram temple with the inscription ‘Shree Ram Dham’ and ‘Ayodhya.’
The external imagery includes the temple and a portrayal of a young Lord Ram, ‘Baalrup Prabhu Ram,’ standing on a lotus with a bow and arrows. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ program card features a silhouetted temple image and characterizes the event as a “Karyakram Vishesh” (special ceremonial). It specifies the auspicious “shubh muhurat” for the “Pran Pratishtha” at 12.20 pm on Monday, January 22, 2024.
According to the invitation details, once the visitors leave, the saints will commence the ‘darshan’ of the Ram Lalla statue. The ceremony card lists the consecration ceremony in the august presence of notable figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the temple trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
Special guests include actors Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia, famous for portraying Lord Ram and Goddess Sita in the TV serial Ramayan. The trust has also extended invitations to 4,000 seers from across the country. Notably, family members of the 50 karsevaks who lost their lives during the Ram temple movement are honored guests, alongside judges, scientists, writers, and poets.
The main invitation card unfolds into images of the temple and “Baalrup Prabhu Ram,” showcasing the deity in a youthful avatar adorned in royal attire, holding a bow and arrow, with royal locks framing the divine face. The accompanying pages detail the ceremony specifics, including the auspicious return of “Ram Lala” to the new grand temple-home.
The booklet, featuring profiles of those involved in the Ram temple movement, complements the artistic portraits with insights into personalities such as seer Devraha Baba Ji Maharaj, Mahant Abhiram Das, Paramhans Ramchandradas, KK Nayar, Thakur Gurudutt Singh, Rajendra Singh ‘Rajju Bhaiya,’ and Ashok Singhal, the later president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. As the countdown to the consecration ceremony continues, Ayodhya buzzes with excitement and anticipation for this historic event.
