LUCKNOW: With preparations all done and stage all set in Ayodhya to host the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for temple construction. The PM will arrive in the temple town at 11:30 am while the Bhoomi Pujan rituals will commence as early as 8 am. The PM, who will lay five small silver bricks along with the one weighing 40 kg in the foundation, has a packed schedule of three hours in Ayodhya.
On Wednesday, the PM will arrive in state capital Lucknow on Wednesday at 10:35 am and will fly to Ayodhya on a helicopter. He will land at the helipad at Ayodhya’s Saket Degree College premises at around 11:30 am.
At around 11:40 am, the PM will reach Hanumangarhi, where he will have 'Darshan' of Lord Ram and will be engaged in rituals for 10 minutes. By around 12 pm, he will reach the Ram Janambhoomi premises, which will be followed by 'Darshan' and puja of 'Ram Lalla'. At around 12:15 pm, the Prime Minister will plant a 'Parijat' sapling at the site of 'Ram Janambhoomi'.
The main rituals of 'Hawan' and 'Puja' are expected to start in the presence of PM Modi at around 12:30 pm and after a gap of 10 minutes at around 12:40 pm, he is expected to finally lay the foundation stone for the construction of Ram Temple.
At around 01:10 pm the Prime Minister may meet the trust members. He will leave Ayodhya at 2:04 pm.
The Ayodhya District Administration is on alert regarding PM Modi's visit on August 5 and a digital security plan has also been prepared for the purpose. In coordination with security agencies and the SPG, the district administration has prepared a blueprint for Modi's security, with seven zones created
including Hanumangarhi and banks of the Saryu.
Meanwhile, rituals continued on day 2 with six-hour-long ‘Ramarcha’ (special puja) on Tuesday. The puja was led by a team of nine priests from Kashi and Ayodhya. The main worshipper in the puja was BJP Ayodhya city chief Mahesh Balchandani and his wife Sunita.
On the other, the SPG which has laid a thick security blanket across the temple town conducted mock drills on the streets and road of Ayodhya on Tuesday. The boundaries of the temple town have been sealed and entry of outsiders into the town has been restricted till August 5. The local residents have been asked to step out with identity cards for movement.
The route from Jalpa Mandir to Naya Ghat will be a super safety zone. However, Modi will only cover the 1-km stretch from Saket College to the venue on this route. Around 75 barriers have already been activated across the town with the majority on this route.
Meanwhile, UP police has also deployed 3500 cops across Ayodhya. According to ADG SN Sabat, 40 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and 10 units of central forces have been deployed in the town. Over 100 commandos will be deputed on rooftops in the temple town during PM’s stay.
At the same time, all the temples and significant spots in Ayodhya were sanitized by special santization teams from Lucknow to keep the deadly coronavirus at bay.
In all 175 guests have been invited for Ram temple Bhoomi Pujan of which 135 are saints from 36 spiritual traditions of India and Nepal.
In a tweet, the temple trust said: “Shri Mahesh Bhagchandka and Shri Pawan Singhal from family of Shri Ashok ji Singhal will be Mukhya Yajman (main worshippers) in Bhumi Pujan. PM Shri @narendramodi, Shri Mohanji Bhagwat, Pujya Nritya Gopaldasji Maharaj, Governor Smt Anandiben Patel and CM Shri @myogiadityanath will be present on stage," the trust said in a tweet.
"Some eminent citizens of Ayodhya have also been invited," it said.
"There are certain practical difficulties in the arrival of some guests due to the Corona pandemic. Arrival of people who are aged above 90 years is not appropriate under present circumstances. Pujya Shankaracharya ji and many Pujya Sant have expressed inability to attend due to Chaturmas," said a trust statement.
"Sacred soil from more than 2,000 teerth sthan and water from more than 100 rivers has been brought to Ayodhya for Bhoomi Pujan. Pujya Shankaracharya and Sants have sent many auspicious materials for Bhoomi Pujan," it added.
All invitees including the dignitaries like RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi had reached the temple town by Tuesday evening. Moreover, yoga guru Baba Ramdev had reached the temple town by his own chopper in the afternoon.
The trust will distribute silver coins embossed with Ram Darbar among all the invitees. Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati of Kamikochi in Tamil Nadu, has sent silver coins to Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust. The seer has sent these coins on behalf of the Ashok Singhal Foundation, an organisation named after Ashok Singhal, late president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
PM Modi’s itinerary