The Gujarat government, on Saturday, announced a half-day for all government offices and educational institutions across the state on January 22, coinciding with the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
In accordance with the official order, the designated half-day will be extended until 2:30 pm on the specified date. This decision aligns with the trend observed in several other states, where time off has been granted to government employees, facilitating their participation in local religious events or enabling them to witness the consecration on television.
Haryana and Rajasthan have similarly declared a half-day for their employees, while Maharashtra, Puducherry, and Chandigarh have officially marked the day as a public holiday.
Simultaneously, as anticipation builds for the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple, security measures have been intensified at Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad Railway Station. State police, along with canine units, were observed conducting thorough security checks at the railway station.
The unveiling of the first image of the new Ram Lalla idol added to the fervor surrounding the upcoming consecration ceremony. Crafted from black stone sourced from Karnataka, the 51-inch idol features covered eyes with a yellow cloth and is adorned with a garland of roses, as depicted in images released by the Vishva Hindu Parishad. The child Ram, in a standing posture, symbolizes Ram Lalla.
The sculptor, Arun Yogiraj, based in Mysuru, meticulously crafted the new idol, which was reverently placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon, having been transported there on a truck the previous night.
Rituals at the temple, commencing at 8:30 am on Friday, extended until 3:30 pm, setting the stage for the grand consecration ceremony scheduled for January 22. The consecration is slated to commence at 12:20 pm, concluding at 1 pm, followed by an address from Prime Minister Modi to a gathering of over 7,000 individuals at the venue. Millions are anticipated to witness the event live on television, underscoring the widespread significance of this historic ceremony.
