Washington:

A replica of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir would be on display during the India Day parade in New York on August 18, which attracts thousands of Indian Americans from in and around New York.

The replica of the temple would be 18 feet long, nine feet wide and eight feet in height, according to Amitabh Mittal, general secretary of Vishva Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA). This would be the first time that a replica of the Ram Mandir would be on display in the United States.

The annual India Day Parade in New York is the largest celebration of India’s Independence Day outside India. More than 150,000 people normally watch the annual parade which runs from East 38th Street to East 27th Street in Midtown New York.

Organised by Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), the parade will see scores of floats representing various Indian American communities and a diversity of culture running through the streets of New York.

The VHPA-A recently organised a Ram Mandir Rath Yatra that visited 851 temples in 48 States over 60 days.

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

New Delhi:

Six months after the grand opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the first round of showers has caused heavy waterlogging in the temple town raising questions over its swift and massive infrastructure overhaul.

The newly built Ram Path road in Ayodhya – which leads to the Ram Temple – has suffered several cave-ins since seasonal rain hit the temple town.

After potholes came up on the 14-km stretch, authorities said they immediately got the road repaired to avoid any inconvenience for the devotees. The Yogi Adityanath government has suspended six civic officials over “gross negligence,” officials said.

Ayodhya mayor Girish Pati Tripathi said that efforts to flush out the rainwater were launched soon after the waterlogging was reported.

Leakage was also reported at the temple after heavy rain at midnight last Saturday. The Chief Priest of the Ram Temple, had on Monday claimed that rainwater that was leaking from the roof of the temple was collecting inside the complex. He also claimed that there was no arrangement to flush out the rainwater from the temple premises.

Rejecting the leakage claims, Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Temple Trust, however, said “not a single drop of water” dripped from the roof, nor had water entered the Sanctum Sanctorum or ‘Garbha Griha’.from anywhere. He also said that “excellent arrangements” have been made at the temple to drain rainwater.

Mr Rai said that while it appeared that water was leaking from the roof, it was in fact coming from a conduit pipe due to ongoing construction work on the first floor of the temple.

Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, had earlier said that the alleged water leakage at the Ram Mandir was “expected because the Guru Mandap is exposed to the sky” as the construction work was still on, but the water never entered the ‘Garbha Griha’.

“I am in Ayodhya. I saw the rainwater falling from the first floor. This is expected because Guru Mandap is exposed to the sky as the second floor and completion of Shikhar will cover this opening. There is no drainage in the Sanctum Santorum because all the Mandaps have measured slope for clearance of water and the water in Sanctum Santorum is manually absorbed,” Mr Mishra had told ANI on Monday.

The opposition leaders, however, were quick to pounce on the BJP, alleging that there was large scale corruption in the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. ”Even the places of worship are sources of loot for the BJP,” UP Congress President Ajay Rai said.

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22. Considered the birthplace of Lord Ram, Ayodhya’s Ram Temple is one of the holiest sites in Hindusim.

Ayodhya:

The construction of the entire Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya is likely to be completed by March 2025, while the first and second floors of the temple will be completed by July-end and December this year, respectively. This information was given by Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee.

“Construction of the first floor of the temple will be completed by the end of next month. Thereafter, work will begin for the second floor,” Nripendra Mishra told reporters.

“We have set a target to complete the second floor by the end of December this year and the entire temple complex by March next year,” he added.

The statues to be installed at the temple will be carved out of Makrana marble from Rajasthan and the trust has floated a tender to select four sculptors for the job.

More than 1.75 crore devotees have visited the Ram Mandir till date, after its opening on January 22 this year.

“On average, one lakh devotees visit the temple every day. Since its opening, around 1.75 crore devotees have visited the temple. This figure will reach two crore by the end of this month,” said Nripendra Mishra.

He added that the work on the Ram Katha Museum was starting now and a concept note had been made for it.

The galleries for the displays would be built according to requirement with arrangements for power and air conditioning.

He added, “Our tourism department has made films on Ram Katha. We will try to open the digital gallery for devotees by July 15 or latest by August 15.”

“With the help of the Union government a film on the life of Lord Hanuman will be made in 7D in a gallery. The work for this will be completed in the next five to six months,” he said.

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

Ayodhya:

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan visited the Ram temple here on Wednesday and bowed before the deity.

Kerala Raj Bhawan, in a post on X, said the governor visited the Ram Temple and had a darshan.

“I came to Ayodhya twice in January. The feeling at that time is the same even today. I have come to Ayodhya many times. It is not just a matter of happiness for us, instead it is a matter of pride, that coming to Ayodhya and worshipping Shriram,” the governor told reporters.

Hon’ble Governor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan at Prabhu Shri Ram Temple Ayodhya: PRO KeralaRajBhavan pic.twitter.com/wCzZCSirLt

— Kerala Governor (@KeralaGovernor) May 8, 2024

In a video posted on the official X handle of the Kerala Governor showing Mr Khan bowing before the idol of Ram Lalla, the chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’ could be heard in the background.

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

Dhar:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he wanted the 400-seat mandate for the BJP-led NDA to ensure the Congress does not bring back Article 370 in Kashmir and put a “Babri lock” on the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He also hit out at RJD leader Lalu Prasad over his remarks favouring quota benefits to Muslims, saying the INDI alliance wants to snatch all reservations of SCs, STs and OBCs and give them to the “vote bank” as part of a deeper conspiracy.

Addressing a rally at Dhar in Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi said Congress has mentioned in the poll manifesto that it will ensure the participation of minorities in contracts, which means the opposition party will give contracts on a religious basis.

He claimed the Congress has also talked about giving priority to minorities in sports and wondered whether the selection of players in the cricket team will be based on his religion.

PM Modi accused Congress of belittling Babasaheb Ambedkar by claiming he had a very little role in framing the Constitution compared to Pandit Nehru.

“The truth is that the Congress parivar (family) deeply hates Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he said.

Accusing Congress of spreading rumours that the BJP government will change the Constitution if it wins 400 seats, Modi said it seems the intelligence of Congress people is focused on their vote bank.

“It is important for the country’s people to know the BJP-led NDA already has 400-plus seats in Parliament. We used this number to scrap Article 370 (which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir),” the PM said.

PM Modi wants 400 seats so that the Congress won’t bring back Article 370 to spoil the game and put a Babri lock on the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said.

The PM said that about 14 days back, he challenged Congress to give in writing to the country’s 140 crore people that it will not give reservation based on religion.

“Secondly, I asked them to give in writing that they will never snatch reservations being given to SCs, STs and OBC and thirdly, to give in writing that they will never give reservations to Muslims through dacoity on the existing OBC quota, but they are not responding and put a lock on their mouths,” he said.

PM Modi claimed the Congress has also talked about giving priority to minorities in sports.

“I wanted to ask Congress, if it wanted to do so, why it divided the country in three parts after 1947. At the same time, the entire country would have been made Pakistan and at the same time, India would have been erased,” he said.

The PM said he wants 400 Lok Sabha seats to prevent Congress from “dacoity” of the OBC quota to benefit its vote bank.

Lashing out at Congress for claiming that BJP will alter the Constitution in the third term, Modi said, “We have also used these 400 plus seats to extend SC/ST quota for 10 years, appoint a tribal woman as the country’s President for the first time and to provide reservation to women, PM Modi said.

“Modi is asking for 400 seats so that the Congress does not hand over the country’s vacant land and islands to other countries, it does not take away reservation given to SC/ST/OBCs and give it to its vote bank and does not declare all castes of its vote bank as OBC overnight,” he said.

Without naming Lalu Prasad, PM Modi said a big alliance partner of the INDIA bloc has endorsed what he used to say about their plan to end the reservations for SC, ST and OBCs.

“Their leader who has eaten the animal’s fodder (alluding to Lalu Yadav’s conviction in fodder scam) and convicted by the court, even by the Supreme Court in the corruption case and out on bail due to health..” “Congress is making him dance on their head. He is saying not only Muslims should get reservations but all the reservations should be given to Muslims. Means they want all the reservation to Muslims by snatching it from SC, ST and OBC,” PM Modi said.

He alleged the Congress had stabbed Ambedkar, who had opposed the religion-based reservation, and the Constitution in the back.

“The Congress has started saying that he (Ambedkar) had a very little role in framing the Constitution and Pandit Nehru made the most significant contribution,” he said and pointed out that Ambedkar was given the Bharat Ratna when Congress was not in power.

He said if Congress has its way, it will say its vote bank has the first right to live in India and asserted “till Modi is alive, he will foil attempts to erase India’s identity in the name of fake and pseudo-secularism”.

The Congress, which gave the Gareebi Hatao slogan for 50 years, is angry with facilities being given to the poor now, Modi alleged.

“Congress leaders are saying they will discontinue the free ration and free medical treatment schemes,” he said, adding Congress has opposed all our works related to “viraasat (legacy) and aastha (faith).

PM Modi said the Opposition was defeated in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, “destroyed” in the second phase, and whatever is left of it in the third phase today will also collapse. 

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

Amravati (Maharashtra):

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday lashed out at the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for not attending the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) of Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya temple and alleged that he turned down the invitation to the event due to ‘fear’ of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

Amit Shah, while addressing a public rally in Maharashtra’s Amaravati slammed the opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for not attending the event and accused them of “humiliating” Lord Ram.

“Uddhav Thackeray, who claims to be the president of Shiv Sena, this fake president of Shiv Sena didn’t attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ due to fear of Sonia Gandhi even after being invited. ‘Rahul Baba’ too received the invitation but didn’t attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’. These people, by not attending the ‘Pran Pratishtha’, have humiliated Lord Ram,” Mr Shah said.

Doubling down his charges against Uddhav Thackeray, the minister said that the former Maharashtra Chief Minister left every principle of Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena’s patriarch.

“Umesh Kolhe was murdered and this so-called ‘Hindu hit rakshak‘ Uddhav Thackeray did nothing. ‘Uddhav babu’, you have left every enculturation of Balasaheb. I want to tell you that Eknath Shinde has moved forward with all the enculturation of Balasaheb. In Maharashtra, it’s our govt now, it’s the govt of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, and now, no Umesh will be murdered, no one has the courage,” Mr Shah said.

Kolhe was murdered by three assailants on June 21, 2023, when he was returning from work, days after he had put up a post on WhatsApp in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who had made controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed.

“Your every vote is going to free this country from terrorism and naxalism… In the fight between those who want Ram Rajya and those who want the rule of a family, your every vote is going for Ram Rajya,” Mr Shah told people in the audience.

Amit Shah was addressing a rally in Amravati to drum up the support of people for BJP’s candidate Navneet Rana.

Ms Rana had won the Amravati seat as an Independent candidate supported by the undivided NCP in 2019 and has been fielded by the BJP this time.

Navneet Rana was the only Independent from Maharashtra to enter the Lok Sabha in 2019. She then had the backing of Sharad Pawar-led NCP. However, the Amravati MP, who had started her career under Mr Pawar, later started supporting the BJP.

The voting date for the Amravati Lok Sabha constituency is set for April 26, the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls. It comprises six assembly seats of Badnera, Amravati, Teosa, Daryapur (reserved for Scheduled Castes), Melghat (reserved for Scheduled Tribes), and Achalpur.

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

New Delhi:

Ayodhya’s grand Ram temple today witnessed its first Holi celebration since its inauguration in January this year. A large number of devotees gathered early in the morning to partake in the festivities of offering colours and sweets to the Ram Lalla idol adorning the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. 

The temple priests engaged in a ceremonial playing of Holi, accompanied by the traditional offerings of abir and gulal as part of the Raag Bhog rituals. Additionally, an array of 56 dishes was presented before the idol as prasad.

“Ramlalla is celebrating his first Holi after his consecration in the temple. His charming idol was decorated with flowers, gulaal has been applied on the forehead. On this occasion, the idol of Ram Lalla wore a pink dress,” said Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of the temple.

The temple priests sang Holi songs along with the devotees and danced in front of the idol in celebration.

The festivities extended beyond the temple’s confines. Devotees could be seen gathering in huge numbers outside the temple’s premises to celebrate Rangotsav as Holi fever gripped the ancient city of Ayodhya. 

To regulate the massive influx of crowd, adequate security measures were put in place for a smooth darshan for devotees.

The Ram Temple was thrown open to the public on January 23, a day after the much-celebrated consecration ceremony, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by a host of politicians and celebrities. 

The construction of the Ram Temple was initiated after a prolonged legal battle that concluded with the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the temple in November 2019. Prime Minister Modi, addressing the nation, had declared the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol as the advent of a new era.

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.)

Renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj who created the Ram Lalla idol for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, has created a miniature version of the deity, capturing the hearts of devotees. The famed artist took to X to share the images which have gone viral. 

”After the selection of the main Murti of Ram lalla, I carved another small Ram Lalla murti (Stone) in my free time at Ayodhya,” Mr Yogiraj shared on X while sharing the pics. 

See the post here:

After the selection of the main Murti of Ram lalla, I carved another small Ram lalla murti (Stone) in my free time at Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/KBO0rgXVPq

— Arun Yogiraj (@yogiraj_arun) March 23, 2024

Earlier, the sculptor also shared a picture of special tools he used to carve the eyes of the statue. He wrote, “Thought of sharing this silver hammer with the golden chisel using which I carved the divine eyes (Netronmilana) of Ram Lalla, Ayodhya.”

The 51-inch-tall idol which shows Ram Lalla as a five-year-old standing on a lotus was created by Mr Yogiraj out of Krishna Shila (black schist). The rock was brought from Karnataka after it was found and excavated during a levelling exercise on an agricultural plot.

After the idol was placed in the sanctum sanctorum or ‘garbha griha’ of the newly-built Ram Janmabhoomi temple, the Karnataka-based sculptor said he considers himself the “luckiest person” on earth.

“I feel I am the luckiest person on the earth now. The blessing of my ancestors, family members and Lord Ram has always been with me. Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream world,” Mr Yogiraj told news agency ANI.

Who is Arun Yogiraj?

Arun Yogiraj, one of the most sought-after sculptors in the country, comes from a family with a rich legacy of the craft. His father and grandfather were renowned sculptors. After completing his MBA, Mr Yogiraj worked in a private company for a while but wanted to follow his ancestors’ legacy. Since 2008, he has been creating statues, gaining nationwide recognition.

The 30-foot statue of Subhash Chandra Bose, a centre of attraction in the grand canopy behind the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate, was also crafted by Mr Yogiraj.

Among his other works, a 12-foot-tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath and a 21-foot-tall Hanuman statue at Chunchanakatte in Mysore district have been widely covered in the media. 

Asansol, West Bengal:

Bollywood actor turned politician and Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the publicity of the Ram Mandir and said that the number of visitors dropped significantly after the Pran Pratishtha on January 22.

Addressing a public gathering in Bengal’s Asansol, Mr Sinha said that BJP created a big drama even when the temple was not completely built.

“I say it with sadness. After so much publicity (of Ram Temple in Ayodhya), around five lakh people reached there on the first day. Big corporate houses and artists were called but the common man was not invited. However, on the second and third day, only three lakh people reached there. After that, it came down to two lakhs. Now, five thousand, 10 thousand and 20 thousand people are going there,” he said.

“So when Shankaracharyas did not reach the place, the temple was not completed, you created so much drama and did publicity on it. Farmers are sitting on the road. It seems that he is not the Prime Minister but the Publicity Minister. If you just keep preaching, then when do you work?” he added.

The BJP hit back at the TMC MP and termed him a “liar”.

In his post on X, In-charge of BJP’s National Information and Technology Department, Amit Malviya said that will Asansol tolerate someone who defames and lies about Bhagwan Ram?

“Like Mamata Banerjee, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha is also a liar. More than 50 lakh people visited Ayodhya for Bhagwan Ram’s darshan in the first month and the numbers have been only rising. It is projected than five crore devotees will visit Ayodhya annually, far more than what Mecca and Vatican receive. For Pran Pratistha also, people from all walks of life, rich and poor, all castes and denominations were present. Will Asansol tolerate someone who defames and lies about Bhagwan Ram?” he said.
 

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