All smiles as Ayodhya gears up for first anniversary Ram Mandir

Ayodhya: Preparations are in full swing in Ayodhya to commemorate the first anniversary of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha at the grand Ram Mandir. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, in collaboration with the district administration, is organising a three-day celebration from January 11 to 13, 2025.

The festivities will begin with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performing the Abhishek of Ram Lalla on the first day. The ceremony will start at 10 am and include sacred rituals such as the anointing of the deity with Panchamrit and water from the Saryu River. Ram Lalla will be adorned in a specially-crafted Pitambari outfit woven with gold and silver threads. This attire, created in Delhi, will arrive in Ayodhya on January 10 and be used during the Abhishek ceremony. Devotees will have the opportunity to witness the sacred darshan.

The highlight of the day will be Ram Lalla’s Maha Aarti at 12:20 pm, followed by cultural performances, devotional rituals and Ram Katha discourses. The events will take place at the mandap and yagyashala, with a German hangar tent at Angad Tila set up to accommodate 5,000 people.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust, emphasised that this celebration offers a rare opportunity for devotees who missed last year’s consecration ceremony to participate. “The arrangements have been made to welcome saints and devotees from across India, ensuring the public can be part of this significant occasion,” he stated. The Trust has announced that 110 VIPs will attend the event, alongside thousands of devotees.