LUCKNOW: Of the over 7,000 dignitaries invited for the consecration ceremony due on January 22 in Ayodhya, 506 have been given the status of state guest by the UP government.
Sources said that those who would be welcomed to the ceremony as state guests include corporate captains such as Ratan Tata, and Mukesh Ambani, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Anupam Kher, singer Usha Mangeshkar, RS member and former Olympian PT Usha.
The list of state guests also comprises Punit Goenka, Mriduhari Dalmiya, sculptor and architect Ashish Sompura, political leader Subramaniyam Swami, Admiral Ram Das, retired Supreme Court Judge Abdul Nazeer, mountaineer Bachhendri Pal, actors Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Allu Arjun and Chiranjeevi.
Cricketing stars Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly will also be the state guest. Sources said invitees in large number have confirmed their visit to the temple town to be witness to the consecration ceremony. The state authorities are on their toes to ensure the best possible arrangements for the invitees.
Of the total invitees, 4,000 are saints and seers from across the country. As per temple trust sources, representatives from 50 countries are also expected to come to Ayodhya for the ceremony which will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Meanwhile, in the run-up to the historic event, the Ram Janmabhoomi (RJB) premises are being prepared to receive the invitees. The Ayodhya administration is making seating arrangements for around 9,000 people in an open pandal spread across 3 lakh sq ft.
While the stage is taking shape, the pandal will have 13 blocks with similar chairs for all invitees. A red carpet has been rolled out and spread wall-to-wall across the pandal.
The administration has made a separate arrangement by earmarking a seating space for 300-400 workers who have worked hard in the temple construction for the last three years to witness the result of their work. On the other hand, to ensure a comfortable stay of the guests, the volunteers of VHP, RSS, ABVP and other related organisations have hit the ground to look after food, lodging and transportation of the guests. After reaching the pandal, the guests will be offered refreshments. A team of 60 volunteers would be at hand in the pandal at a time.
The Airport Authority of India has shortlisted 12 airports across five states, including UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, for parking of the private and chartered jets ferrying distinguished guests to Ayodhya on January 22.
4K saints among invitees
Of the invitees, 4,000 are saints and seers from across the country. Temple trust sources said representatives from 50 countries are also expected in Ayodhya for the ceremony.
Separate seating for workers
A separate arrangement for seating workers who worked hard for the event. Hindutva volunteers will look after food, lodging and transportation of the guests, said sources.
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1 The week-long rituals in the run-up to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony entered the fourth day with ‘Arani Manthan’ to invoke the God of Fire on Friday
2 From Lord Ram image-adorned bangles to 56 varieties of ‘petha’ and from traditional items like a 500-kg iron-copper ‘nagada’ and the ‘Onavillu’ bow to offerings of rice, ladoos and vegetables, a diverse array of gifts are flooding in from across the country as Ayodhya prepares for the consecration ceremony.
3 Five Supreme Court judges including present CJI D Y Chandrachud, who were part of the Constitution bench which paved way for the construction of the Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, are invited as state guests to witness the consecration ceremony on January 22.
4 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday flagged off five trucks carrying five lakh laddus, prepared at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, to Ayodhya for the consecration of the Ram temple and said the earlier shrine was built by Emperor Vikramaditya.
5 Ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple, beds have been reserved at city-based, district hospitals and the medical college here, and specialists from the AIIMS have provided focused emergency response training to the doctors at healthcare institutions in Ayodhya.
6 Chhattisgarh government will hold a musical event in Raipur on Saturday, depicting the 500-year struggle for construction of the temple. The event, ‘A Tale of Ram Temple’ will be held on Police Grounds and will be attended by CM Vishnu Deo Sai.