Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ayodhya Wednesday for the Bhoomi Pujan or groundbreaking ceremony for the Ram temple.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Mi🔜nister Yogi Adityanath were among those who attended the event.
As a priest chanted Sanskrit ‘shlokas’ and the ground-breaking ceremony g🥀ot under way under a giant marquee decorated in shades of reds and yellows, Modi and the other dignitaries, all in masks, maintained social distancing and sat a safe distance away from each other.
The ꧑guest list, including religious leaders who formed part of the movement that started in the 1980s, was restricted to 175 in view of the COVID-19 crisis.
Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ went up as the rꦡitual ended and the prime ministe💃r laid the foundation of the temple.
Bhajans and ‘shlokas’ were heard as the town, festooned with marigold flowers and yellow and saffron flags, celebrated the begin🍌ning of the construction of a grand Ram temple. Roads leading to Ayodhya were adorned with hoardings of the proposed temple and of Ram Lalla, the infant Ram, the deity now housed in a makeshift temple. Most shops were painted in bright yellow.
The prime minister arriv💖ed in Ayodhya in a helicopter where Adit𓄧yanath among others received him.
Before the function to lay the foundation stone of the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir', the prime minister took part in prayers at the H🌺anumangarhi temple.
From there, he travelled to the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' where he performed pra🐬yers at the 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'.
He 𒆙also planted a Parijat (Indian night jasmin🏅e) sapling.
H🧸e will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and also release a commemorative postage stamp on the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.
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(With inputs from PTI)
