Ayodhya, the sacred city on the banks of the Sarayu River, is set to witness a historic and spiritually significant moment today as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives to lead the Dhwajarohan Utsav at the newly completed Ram Temple. This ceremony marks the revival of a tradition said to date back to the Treta Yug, when the flag of the Ayodhya dynasty last flew atop the temple dedicated to Lord Ram.
A Historic Ceremony at the Ram Temple
Prime Minister Modi will hoist a 22-foot saffron flag, specially crafted to mark the completion of the Ram Temple’s first major construction phase. Made by a parachute expert from Ahmedabad in accordance with Defence Ministry specifications, the flag measures 22 feet by 11 feet and weighs between two and three kilograms. It has been custom-designed to suit the temple’s 161-foot peak and a 42-foot flagpole.
The flag features two sacred symbols:
- The Sun, representing Lord Ram’s Suryavanshi heritage and qualities like energy, radiance, virtue, and enlightenment.
- The sacred ‘Om’, symbolizing spiritual power and universal consciousness.
Auspicious Timing: Vivah Panchami
The ceremony is aligned with the auspicious window between 11:52 am and 12:35 pm, coinciding with Vivah Panchami, the divine day celebrating the marriage of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the date is also significant as it marks the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who meditated in Ayodhya for 48 hours in the 17th century.
Rituals Led by 108 Acharyas
The Dhwajarohan Utsav will be performed under the supervision of a distinguished panel of 108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi, and South India. The proceedings will follow traditional Vedic practices as guided by noted Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri.
PM Modi will also tour various sections of the temple complex, including seven sub-shrines, and later participate in an aarti. He is expected to address devotees gathered for the event.
Ayodhya Prepared for Thousands of Visitors
With unprecedented enthusiasm among devotees, Ayodhya has undergone extensive beautification ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. Roads have been cleaned, new signages installed, and sanitation teams have carried out thorough maintenance operations.
- The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust has invited around 6,000 guests, and entry to the temple complex will remain restricted to visitors with QR-coded passes until 2:30 pm.
- To ensure wider public participation, the city has installed over 50 large LED screens to broadcast the ceremony live.
- In honour of the momentous occasion, the idol of Ram Lalla and all deities within the temple complex will be adorned in a golden-yellow attire, creating a visually divine experience for worshippers.
Temple Development Milestones
This major ceremony comes less than two years after the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Lalla idol performed by PM Modi on January 22, 2024. The temple’s Phase 1 was inaugurated the same day. The foundation stone for the Ram Temple was laid on August 5, 2020, nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s historic verdict granting the land for its construction.
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