India’s Ayodhya Ram Mandir temple inaugurated by Modi

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People watching the Ram temple consecration ceremony by Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on a live streaming screen in a media center in Ayodhya, India, on January 22.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed Monday’s consecration ceremony as “the beginning of a new time cycle” in a speech to thousands of guests outside temple’s complex.

Minutes before his speech, Modi broke an 11-day religious fast that he had undertaken to prepare for the festivities. He unveiled a statue of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, in a consecration ceremony watched by millions.

Modi did not directly mention the Babri Masjid in his speech, nor the country’s Muslims, many of whom feel pain and sadness at the events that have unfolded in Ayodhya.

Yogi Adityanath greets people ahead of the inauguration of the temple of the Hindu god Ram in Ayodhya, India, on January 22.

The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, where Ayodhya is located, has called the Ram Mandir India’s “national temple” and one that celebrates the country’s “pride.”

Adityanath has governed India’s most populous state since 2017, when the Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed him leader after claiming victory in state polls that year.

But the appointment of Adityanath, a Hindu priest, indicated to some experts that it was yet another sign of the BJP’s Hindutva ideology – which strives to make secular India the land of the Hindus.

Adityanath has since become one of the country’s more polarizing political figures.

Since he took office, the state has already passed legislation that, critics say, is rooted in Hindutva ideology. It has protected cows, an animal considered sacred to Hindus, from slaughter, and made it increasingly difficult to transport cattle.

Adityanath has been a vocal advocate for the construction of the Ram Temple and attended the consecration ceremony inside the building.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the right-wing parent organization of the BJP, declared the temple “has become a symbol of a new India that will stand tall.”

Indian news channels have devoted a tremendous amount of time to cover every detail about the Ram Temple, from counting the number of sweets that are being made in celebration, to documenting all the religious events that have preceded its inauguration.  

The front page of the country’s leading newspapers on Monday were dedicated to the temple’s opening.

“Long wait ends, Ayodhya in euphoria on eve of new dawn,” the Times of India said.

The Indian Express said: “Ayodhya wears festive look. Stage set for Ram Temple consecration today.”

News anchors meanwhile are in the ancient city, interviewing crowds, filming the festivities and speaking with politicians ahead of the event.

Devotees are seen at Dharm Path in Ayodhya, India on January 21.

The state of Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located, has declared Monday a public holiday.

All schools in the country’s largest state are shut and liquor shops will be closed, according to a circular issued by Uttar Pradesh’s government.

Public schools in the national capital Delhi are shut and government office workers have been given a half day.

Other states, including Assam in the northeast, have announced similar measures, including banning the sale of alcohol and limiting the sale of non-vegetarian food.

Maharashtra in the west, home to financial capital Mumbai, has also declared Monday a public holiday.

A man is riding his motorcycle through a road in Ayodhya, India, on January 17.

Ayodhya, an ancient town of about 76,000 people in the electorally significant state of Uttar Pradesh, is an important Hindu pilgrimage site and sees millions of visitors each year.

The 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.

At the same time he has implemented policies that critics say favor Hindus and discriminate against minorities, particularly Muslims.

A statue of one of Hinduism’s most revered deities has been consecrated at a new temple in an historic and controversial ceremony that was presided over by by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The idol of Lord Ram was unveiled at the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on the site of a 16th century mosque that was demolished by Hindu hardliners in 1992.

Depicted as a young boy, the statue of black stone was adorned with gold jewelry, gemstones, diamonds and flowers. Modi placed offerings at the idol’s feet as priests chanted and prayed.

At the climax of the consecration a military helicopter flew over the temple, throwing flower petals over the vast building and the crowds of dignitaries below.

The temple in Ayodhya is the crowning glory of Modi’s Hindu nationalist ambition and is expected to boost his credentials in this year’s election.

Monday’s ceremony was attended by famous celebrities, politicians and industrialists, who flew across India to witness the event.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple for the much-anticipated Pran Pratishtha or consecration ceremony.

The leader made his way down an aisle to the sound of conch shells blowing, holding a red cushion with a large silver ornament.

Modi was pictured dressed in a light colored kurta, a traditional Indian tunic and scarf, as he walked toward the inner sanctum of the temple.

A priest was seen giving him some prasad, a devotional offering of food, while performing rituals.

Every part of the sprawling temple has been adorned with colorful flowers, both on the outside of the complex and inside.

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan with his son Abisheik Bachchan along with other chief guests sit awaiting the opening of a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram, in Ayodhya, India, on January 22.

Indian celebrities are arriving in Ayodhya to witness the Pran Prathishtha, or consecration ceremony of the vast Ram Mandir.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and tycoon Mukesh Ambani are among some 7,000 guests invited to Monday’s festivities.

Actor Anupam Kher, who has appeared in hundreds of films including “Bend It Like Beckham” and Ram Charan, who appeared in the 2022 hit film “RRR” were also pictured at the event.

Kher posted a photo alongside South Indian cinema icon Rajinikanth to the social media platform X, expressing his excitement over being in Ayodhya.

Other celebrities, including Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene and Katrina Kaif have also arrived in the ancient town to witness the festivities.

A prominent US-based Hindu group has criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the leader of “weaponizing” their faith and using the Ram Temple for political gain.

Hindus for Human Rights is a US-based non-profit advocacy group founded in 2019 that advocates for pluralism, civil and human rights in South Asia and North America, according to its website.

Vehicles ride past a billboard depicting Hindu deities Ram, left, and Hanuman, displayed along a street in Mumbai on January 17.

Ram (also known as Rama) is one of the most important gods in the Hindu pantheon, a figure revered for his heroic deeds, virtue and chivalry. An avatar of Vishnu, he is especially well known for being the central character in the epic poem the Ramayana.  

Much like Homer’s Odyssey, the Ramayana recounts Ram spending years in the wilderness trying to make his way home and claim his rightful role after being exiled. 

Along the way he meets his wife Sita who is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana. With the help of his brother Lakshmana and the monkey god Hanuman, Ram defeats Ravana and rescues Sita.  

The couple’s triumphant return to Ayodhya – and the victory of good over evil – is celebrated each year during the Diwali festival of lights. 

Hindu devotees stay in tents at a camp for people arriving to attend the temple's opening in Ayodhya, India, on Friday.

An idol of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, will be unveiled inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, in consecration ceremony conducted by Modi and broadcast to millions. 

More than 7,000 people have been invited to attend the ceremony in person, including high-profile politicians who are flying in from across the vast country to take part. 

Some 100 chartered planes are expected to land in Ayodhya on Monday, with hotel prices surging and last-minute bookings costing upwards of $1,200 per day, according to local media reports. 

Gifts have been arriving in Ayodhya from artists and jewelers ahead of the inauguration, including a 2,100 kg (about 4,630 lbs) gold bell, a giant lamp weighing 1,100 kg (about 2,425 lbs), and an incense stick 108 feet long which will burn for more than a month.  

Since January 16, priests have been conducting prayers and performing rituals as workers move the idol into the temple’s complex. Senior leaders of the BJP have given numerous television interviews about the events, with Indian news channels running 24/7 coverage about the temple’s festivities. 

Workers walk in front of the site of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, India, while it is under construction on December 29, 2023.

Indian engineering group Larsen and Toubro is constructing the temple within a 70-acre (28 hectares) complex, with the construction expected to cost about 15 billion rupees ($180 million). 

The government has not provided funds for its establishment and donations of about 30 billion rupees ($361 million) have been collected for the complex. 

Artists from across the country have been selected to create artwork and murals that showcase the country’s diversity and the temple’s interiors will be adorned with gold.

Three sculptors carved murals of Lord Ram, one of which was picked by a panel to reside inside the sanctum sanctorum. The black stone sculpture weighs between 150 – 200 kgs (440 lbs) and depicts the deity as a five-year-old boy. 

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi waits to greet delegates to the G20 Leaders' Summit on September 9, 2023, in New Delhi.

Ahead of the event, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been fasting and praying in an 11-day ritual steeped in Hindu religious symbolism. 

While announcing his decision to undertake the religious ritual, Modi said: “The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India during the consecration.”  

“I seek blessings from all of you,” he added. 

Modi’s embrace of Hindu religious ceremonies while in government is significant because India was founded by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to be a deliberately diverse but secular nation where all religions were equal under the law.  

Modi rose to power in 2014 with a pledge to reform the country’s economy and usher in a new era of development – but throughout his political career he also heavily pushed a Hindutva agenda, an ideology that believes India should become a land for Hindus. 

While in power, Modi’s party rallied to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in another promise to his core voters, a move seen by many as favoring the country’s Hindu majority. 

Monday’s temple’s opening is widely expected to boost his chances of winning a rare third term in a general election expected later this year, having made true on his promise to millions of voters. 

People celebrate ahead of the Ram temple opening in Ayodhya, India, at Times Square in New York on January 22.

Despite the frozen winter temperatures devotees gathered in New York’s Times Square on Sunday evening to celebrate the inauguration of the large Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

An image of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, and who is being honored with the construction of the temple, was projected on one of the many massive screens that adorn the landmark.

Hundreds of people arrived carrying saffron flags, a color closely associated with Hinduism.

Indian embassies across the world will be screening the historic event and some 7,000 dignitaries — including politicians and celebrities — will travel across India to attend the Pran Pratishtha, or consecration ceremony.

Pious Hindus have traveled hundreds of kilometers across India to celebrate the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, turning the streets of the ancient town into a festival of lights and color as people eagerly wait to enter the vast temple’s complex.

A Hindu devotee seen with his face painted in Ayodhya, India, on January 22.

Devotees can be seen with the phrase “Jai Shree Ram” (Glory to Lord Ram) stamped on their faces as they walk through the town.

Workers decorate a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram the day before it's grand opening in Ayodhya, India, on January 21.

Temples have been lit up and adorned with flowers ahead of Monday’s ceremony, as devotees arrive in the ancient town and offer gifts to gods and goddesses within.

Hindu devotees dance during a procession as they arrive in Ayodhya, India, on January 21.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing to inaugurate a vast Hindu temple on the site of a 16th century mosque that was demolished by a large crowd of Hindu hardliners in 1992.

The controversial ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, expected to be attended by thousands of dignitaries, is a crowing moment for Modi’s Hindu nationalist ambitions as he seeks to win a rare third term in just a few months time.

But for many of the country’s Muslims, the temple’s inauguration is a painful reminder of the religious divisions that they fear are deepening in India as Modi pulls the country away from its secular foundations.

Here’s what you need to know:

Urmila Chandravanshi poses for a picture.

Tens of thousands of pious Hindus are thronging the small town of Ayodhya in a bid to catch a glimpse of the much-anticipated Ram idol in the new temple.

The temple doesn’t open to the public until Tuesday but it is expected to draw vast crowds once that happens.

Among those who made the journey is 90-year-old Urmila Chandravanshi, who has traveled more than 700 kilometers from the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh.

Clapping and chanting “victory to Lord Ram,” she said she was thrilled to be in Ayodhya and credits Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opening of the temple.

Dasharath Singh Rajput poses for a picture.

Saffron flags are flying high and marigold flowers adorn building entrances as groups make their way through the streets of the ancient town.

Dasharath Singh Rajput, who has also traveled from Chhattisgarh, applauded Modi for undertaking his 11-day religious ritual.

Dressed in a large coat with a saffron shawl draped around his neck, a color associated with Hinduism, he praised Modi for his politics.

Another devotee, Anupawananda Swami, 86, called the temple’s opening a “grand success” and said he was happy that Modi has been building temples around India.

The compound and the building of a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram are decorated with flowers the day before the temple's grand opening in Ayodhya, India, on Sunday.

The site of the temple was once home to the Babri Masjid, a 16th century mosque, built by the Mughal empire that ruled India from 1526 to 1858.  

But the location has been disputed for decades.  

Many Hindus believe the Babri Masjid was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple, allegedly destroyed by Babar, the first Mughal emperor of South Asia. The site is significant to them because they believe it’s the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most important deities.  

Hindu nationalist groups had for years campaigned to demolish the mosque to build a temple in its place. In 1992, spurred on by the BJP and other right-wing groups, Hindu hardliners attacked it with hammers, triggering widespread communal violence. 

Hindu fundamentalists attack the wall of the 16th century Babri Masjid mosque with iron rods at a disputed holy site in the city of Ayodhya in 1992.

Dozens of temples and mosques were also targeted in a series of revenge attacks that killed more than 2,000 people nationwide. The violence was some of worst seen in India since the bloody clashes that accompanied partition following independence in 1947. 

In the following years, Hindu nationalists rallied to build the Ram Mandir on the site of the destroyed mosque, setting the stage for an emotional and politically charged showdown that lasted decades. 

In 2019, India’s Supreme Court granted Hindus permission to build the temple on the contested site, ending the dispute. 

It was seen as a victory for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his supporters but was a blow to many Muslims for whom the destruction of the Babri Masjid remains a source of tension and an example of how India’s centuries of Islamic history is being eroded by Hindu nationalist revisionism. 

When the Supreme Court delivered its verdict, Modi said the decision had “brought a new dawn” for the nation and would lead to the “creation of a new India.” 

But critics say the verdict tore India away from the secular founding principles and that the building of the temple in Ayodhya is the crowning achievement in the BJP’s multi-decade campaign to transform the country. 

The 2019 Supreme Court order that paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple also said authorities must set aside land for a mosque to be built about 25 kilometers (15 miles) away.  

But construction of the mosque is not expected to begin until May, and Ayodhya’s Muslims continue to feel a sense of hopelessness.