AYODHYA: Ayodhya is soaked in religious fervour with the consecration of Ram Lalla in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The residents were overtly emotional as devotees, both inside and outside the town, danced in unprecedented joy on Monday.
The feelings among the residents were reinforced by the lofty description of the town as divya (divine) Ayodhya, ‘navya’ (new) Ayodhya and ‘bhavya’ (grand) Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address post-consecration ceremony.
For Rajesh Narain Singh, a teacher in Saket Inter College, the temple town exterior is unmatched. “History is made here. Our Ram Lalla has got the rightful place which he deserves. The day is very special for me. I have witnessed the struggles and sacrifices made to bring us to this level.”
For Yash Tiwari, the moment offers boundless happiness. The resident of Amaniganj says the ‘tapasya’ (penance) has met with success.
Palash Gupta, a resident of Chhoti Devkauli, said, “We have a sense of pride. I have no words to express my emotions. It is only devotion, nothing else. The dream of our grandparents and parents has come true.”
For Snigdha, a student, the temple town now demands responsibility from his residents. “We have to be ready to welcome guests from far and wide. After all, it’s a ‘divya’ Ayodhya,” she said.
For Anshuman Singh, pursuing PhD from KS Saket PG College, living in Ayodhya fills one with pride. “It is a great moment for me, and for all of us. I am proud that this temple has been built at its rightful place.”
Meanwhile, the evening post-consecration ceremony was replete with revelry. It was as if the town was witnessing a second Deepotsav in a year. The spectacle was rich, captivating and unforgettable as around 10 lakh diyas illuminated the Saryu ghats with a pulsating laser show adding to the town’s recently acquired sheen.
The town resonated with high-pitched sounds of ‘Ram-Ram’, creating an unprecedented zeal. In front of Hanumangarhi temple, a grand celebration took place, which highlighted the end of a 500-year struggle.
The Deepotsav celebration infused the city with unprecedented fervour. Ram-ki-Paidi, Muthhs, temples, and other public places were bathed in diverse shades of light.
After the consecration ceremony, PM Modi felicitated the workers who worked almost round the clock to bring those precious moments alive by showering them with rose petals.
No intersection was left without beautiful rangolis creating a spontaneous atmosphere of devotion. There was more: mesmerizing laser shows took place at Ram-ki-Paidi and an eco-friendly fireworks display.
No one wanted to skip the Saryu Aarti, which was joined by many dignitaries, sages, and saints at the ghats. The night in the small town continued to throb with devotional songs. “A day unforgettable,” whispered an old resident.
With a swanky new airport, a redeveloped railway station, two widened roads — Ram Path and Dharm Path — which are now showpiece streets, multi-level car parking facilities, e-buses, a dedicated multilingual tourist app, and new luxury hotels on the horizon, Ayodhya has changed and so has its image.
In line with PM Modi’s vision of ‘Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi’, this infrastructure push has also embraced the heritage of the ancient city, where Hindus believe Lord Ram was born.
The airport and the railway station, both equipped with modern facilities, bear a cladding of sandstone with the design drawn from the architectural elements of the newly built Ram temple, which uses sandstones sourced from Rajasthan.
Celebrities add sheen to ceremony
Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and filmmakers Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani were some of the cinema personalities at the event.
Sita’s birthplace lights up
People in Nepal’s Janakpurdham (in Madhesh province), the birthplace of Lord Ram’s wife Sita, decked up for the consecration ceremony. The Janaki temple was decorated with garlands and flowers.
Man wears footwear after 32 yrs
Vilas Bhavsar, a 60-year-old resident of Jalgaon in north Maharashtra, who had vowed in 1992 to go barefoot till a grand Ram temple is built, wore chappals (footwear) for the first time in 32 years on Monday.
The evening after
The evening after consecration was replete with revelry, as if the town was witnessing a second Deepotsav in a year. The spectacle was rich, captivating and unforgettable as around 10 lakh diyas illuminated the Sarayu ghats with a pulsating laser show adding to the town’s sheen.
Swanky new ayodhya
With a swanky new airport, a redeveloped railway station, two widened roads — Ram Path and Dharm Path — which are now showpiece streets, multi-level car parking facilities, e-buses, a dedicated multilingual tourist app, and new luxury hotels on the horizon, Ayodhya has changed and so has its image.