Indore:

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said the date of consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be celebrated as “Pratishtha Dwadashi” as the “true independence” of Bharat, which faced “parachakra” (enemy attack) for several centuries, was established on this day.

An idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the grand Ayodhya temple on January 22, 2024, in a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, as per the Hindu lunar calendar, the consecration ceremony completed one year on January 11, 2025.

Bhagwat asserted that the Ram temple movement was not started to oppose anyone.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief insisted this movement was started to awaken the “self” (swa) of Bharat so that the country could stand on its own feet and show the path to the world.

He was speaking after presenting the “National Devi Ahilya Award” to Champat Rai, general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, in Indore.

Bhagwat pointed out there was no discord in the country during the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya last year.

After receiving the award, Rai declared he is dedicating this honour to all known and unknown people of the Ram Mandir movement who helped in building the grand Ram temple in the Uttar Pradesh town.

Referring to different phases of struggles faced by the movement, Rai said the temple was a symbol of “Hindustan ki Moonchh (moustache)” (the national pride) and he was just a medium for its construction.

The prestigious award is given every year by the Indore-based social organization, “Shri Ahilyotsav Samiti”, to prominent persons in recognition of their contribution in different social spheres.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is the president of this organization.

Addressing the gathering, Mahajan said a grand memorial dedicated to Devi Ahilyabai, the iconic ruler of the former Holkar dynasty of Indore, will be built in the city so that people become familiar with her life character.

Over the years, the National Devi Ahilya Award has been given to well-known personalities like Nanaji Deshmukh, Vijaya Raje Scindia, Raghunath Anant Mashelkar and Sudha Murty. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In January, during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, 300 kilograms of ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to devotees, confirmed Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the temple. This revelation comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee in the preparation of laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

“If animal fat was mixed in the ‘prasad’, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible,” Mr Das said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The TTD revealed that the lab report confirmed the presence of lard and other impurities in ghee used by a contractor. An official stated that the contractor responsible for supplying adulterated ghee had been blacklisted and legal proceedings were initiated.

The row began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu first raised concerns about the quality of the ‘prasad’, alleging that animal fat was used during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Mr Naidu accused the YSRCP regime of purchasing substandard ghee at cheaper rates, which compromised the sacredness of the Tirupati laddoos.

In response, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these allegations as “diversion politics” and a “concocted story” aimed at shifting focus from the current government’s failures.

The issue intensified after lab reports, commissioned by the TDP, backed Mr Naidu’s claims. According to these reports, the ghee samples tested showed traces of animal fats, including beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. The temple management confirmed that four separate tests revealed similar results, prompting immediate action to halt supplies from the blacklisted contractor.

Mr Naidu, in a public address, announced that new suppliers of pure cow ghee, including the Nandini brand from Karnataka, have been engaged to restore the sacredness of the laddoos. The former chief priest of the Tirupati temple, Ramana Deekshitulu, also expressed concerns over the issue, stating that he had previously raised the matter with the TTD management to no avail.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi have both called for investigations and have sought reports from the Andhra Pradesh government. The TTD has assured devotees that the purity of the laddoos has now been restored, and steps have been taken to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used going forward.

Kushinagar:

A 14-year-old boy from Kushinagar district was detained on Wednesday for reportedly threatening to blow up the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the police said.

The boy has an intellectual disability and was undergoing treatment, Kushinagar Superintendent of Police Dhawal Jaiswal said.

His grandmother, with whom he lived, had also been detained.

Police officials said the boy called the police emergency number ‘112’ on Tuesday night and threatened that he would blow up the temple with a bomb.

He also shared posts with similar messages on his Instagram and other social media accounts.

With the help of its Cyber Cell, the police traced the caller’s location to Balua Takiya, a village under Patherwa police station limits in Kushinagar, and detained him.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh):

The devotees celebrated ‘Rangotsav’ inside the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on the occasion of Holi on Monday.

“Rangotsav at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir,” the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra posted on X on Monday.

श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर में रंगोत्सव

Rangotsav at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir pic.twitter.com/nJgjb2QT7Z

— Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) March 25, 2024

The festival of colours, ‘Rangotsav’ started on the first ‘Rangbhari Ekadashi’ after the pran pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple by applying colours to the deity in Hanumangarhi temple.

Devotees arrived at the Ram Temple in large numbers for the darshan of Ram Lalla on the occasion of Holi on Monday.

Devotees immersed themselves in Holi celebrations as they sang devotional songs and smeared each other in the colours of the festival inside the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

Ayodhya, the holy city of Uttar Pradesh, is witnessing a grand celebration of Holi this year, paying homage to Lord Ram.

A festival celebrated with as much fervour in the country will be marked on March 25. The festival is preceded by a ritual of lighting bonfires called Holika Dahan, signifying the burning of the demon Holika.

Amidst the revelry, traditional sweets are shared, fostering a sense of amity and togetherness among the people, with revellers exuding the spirit of joy and love.

The entire country is undoubtedly intoxicated with the Holi spirit.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)