The seven-day grand consecration ceremony of Ram temple is set to commence on Tuesday, with the culmination of rituals and the official inauguration of the temple taking place on January 22.
As per media reports, on Tuesday, the appointed priest or host will conduct an atonement ceremony and undergo a sacred 'Dashvidh' bath. After this, he will worship the Hindu god Vishnu, and a ceremony offering cows will be held on the banks of the Saryu River in Ayodhya.
The new temple is stretched out over 7.2 acres, which will include a three-storey structure. The temple is expected to hold 150,000 devotees daily.
The federal government has allocated approximately $3.85 billion for the transformation of Ayodhya city. This extensive makeover initiative encompasses various projects such as the construction of a new airport, renovation of the railway station, enhancement of road infrastructure, the establishment of multi-level parking facilities, and the regulation of commercial and residential areas near the temple, among others.
For centuries, a sacred Hindu temple occupied a revered place before it was dismantled in the 16th century, giving way to the construction of the Babri Masjid, a mosque.
In 1992, the mosque was torn down by Hindu mobs, triggering riots across the country that resulted in the loss of nearly 2,000 lives. The dispute between Hindus and Muslims over the site ended in a 2019 legal battle, when the Supreme Court of India allowed the construction of a Hindu temple on the site and gave Muslims another plot of land in Ayodhya to build a mosque.
Uttar Pradesh State Chief Yogi Adityanath will attend the grand event along with other federal ministers. More than 7,000 people have been invited, including sports stars and Bollywood celebrities.