The temple town of Ayodhya was decked with flowers, serenaded with bhajans, and covered with a multi-layered security blanket on the eve of the pran pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, to be held at the Ram Mandir on January 22.
In the culmination of a decades-long religious and political movement to restore the worship of Lord Ram in a new temple at what is considered his birthplace, the rituals to consecrate the idol are expected to begin at 12:20 p.m. in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and almost 8,000 invited guests, and will be watched by lakhs of devotees via live telecast across the country and the world. The shrine will be opened to the public a day later.
