Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Inauguration ceremony started at noon on Monday in the national grand ceremony. Ramlala’s idol was unveiled after worshiping according to religious norms.
Narendra Modi arrived at Ram Mandir premises after 11 am local time. He slowly moved towards the sanctum sanctorum with a branch of pooja in his hand. Later, with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, he sat in the puja with a lotus flower in his hand. The blindfold of the idol of Ram Lala in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram Mandir was untied.
In his speech at the Ram Mandir, Narendra Modi said, ‘Questions were raised about the existence of Ram. Our judiciary has confirmed the verdict. The temple has been built in accordance with the law.
Referring to ‘January 22, the beginning of a new era’, he said, ‘Ram is not a dispute, but a solution. And this Ram Mandir is not only a temple but also a vision of India.
A new chapter has been added to the history of India through the inauguration of this temple. This temple is on the site of Babri Masjid which was demolished 31 years ago. The inauguration of the temple months before the polls is expected to strengthen Narendra Modi’s chances of victory. Building a temple at the long-debated 16th-century historic Babri Masjid is a fulfillment of Modi’s long-standing promise and the dream of Hindu nationalists.
In 1992, the Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindu mobs. That attack changed the whole of India and fueled the country’s Hindu nationalist movement. Because of this, today’s event is highly controversial.
This temple has been built in the name of Hindu god Ramachandra by spending more than 1 thousand 800 crore rupees. Some Hindutva leaders call this city ‘Vatican of Hindus’.
More than seven thousand people were personally invited to Ayodhya to attend the lavish temple inauguration ceremony. Besides, thousands of devout Hindus thronged the small town to lay flowers and gifts inside the temple.
Meanwhile, the face of Ayodhya city around Ram Mandir has been changed. Projects worth several thousand crores of rupees include road expansion, a shiny new airport, a massive railway station and a multi-storey car park. For this, more than 3000 houses, shops and religious structures have been completely or partially demolished. Land prices here have skyrocketed.
