Ram Mandir LIVE: Ram Leela organised in Ayodhya ahead of Pran Pratishtha ceremony

"The ultimate goal of my life is finally being fulfilled." Ninety-year-old seer Yugpurush Parmanand Giri Maharaj displays a palpable sense of relief and composure as he talks about his long association with the Ram temple movement.

He saw the 'shila pujan' in 1989, the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 and the historic Supreme Court judgement on the temple-mosque dispute that paved the way for the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.

For him, the temple consecration ceremony on January 22 is the perfect culmination of a struggle of a lifetime.

Kin of 19 'karsevaks' among 59 who lost their lives in the 2002 Godhra train burning incident in Gujarat will attend the Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, a VHP office-bearer said on Saturday. The other invitees from Gujarat include 320 saints and 105 prominent members of society, he said. "The invitees include kin of the karsevaks who were killed when two coaches of Sabarmati Express train on which they were returning to Ahmedabad from Ayodhya were set on fire by miscreants near Godhra railway station," said Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary for Gujarat, Ashok Raval.

With just two days left for the grand inauguration of the Ram Mandir in the holy city of Ayodhya, Republic spoke exclusively with the mandir chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das Ji Maharaj on all the rituals planned for the Pran Pratishtha [consecration] ceremony, and what can be expected afterwards. Right from the ‘Navagraha Puja' (worshipping the nine planets) to ‘Nagar-Brahman’ (taking out procession) to the ‘Moorti Sthaapna’ (idol establishment), the Acharya highlighted all the ‘Vidhiyaan’ (necessary spiritual deeds/steps) that are a pre-requisite to any idol-establishment inside a temple premises. 

Ram Patesuar Das, Chief mahant of Ram Janki mandir said, “We, the people of Nepal and Mithila do not consider Lord Ram a god but a son-in-law as he got married to our daughter (Mata Sita). We are happy that a new home is being built for Lord Ram and we are happy. If people follow the principles of Lord Ram in today’s time then nobody will face any problem in their lives.”

As many as 14 couples from various parts of the country will perform the duty of 'yajmans' (hosts) during the Ram temple consecration ceremony here on January 22. Sunil Ambekar, the Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said that according to the information given by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust the rituals commenced on January 16 and Saturday was the fifth day. "A temple worship has comprehensive rituals under the Hindu religion. There are a number of 'adhivaas," he told PTI on Saturday.

Ram Leela has been organised in Ayodhya ahead of Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple. 

With only a couple of days remaining for the Pran Praitshtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the security has beefed up in the temple town for the January 22 event, which would be attended by nearly 8,000 VIP guests. The police force of Uttar Pradesh, which was scheduled to come to Ayodhya, has arrived in the town and has also been deployed in the temple city with patrolling being done from all three areas-- land, water and air.

Ram Temple in Ayodhya illuminated with decorative lights ahead of the Pran Pratishtha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Tamil Nadu, on Saturday offered prayers at Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram and took a holy dip in 'Angi theerth' beach. PM Modi was seen wearing a rudraksha-mala. He prayed in the Ramanathaswamy shrine, an ancient Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu. 

With the consecration ceremony a couple of days away, the whole of Ayodhya is steeped in religious spirit. A new branch of a PSU bank that opened on Thursday in a building along the Ram Path here has been named the 'Ramjanmabhoomi' branch. A redeveloped road that skirts its way off Ram Path, on the way to the Ram temple site, has been named Ramjanmabhoomi Path. The bank's branch office, located in the vicinity, has been beautified with ornate lampposts and canopies with claddings on the side walls while a huge banner mounted on the wall bears an imposing image of the Ram temple along with the bank's name.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attended ‘Shri Ramayana Paryana’ programme at the Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram. In the programme, eight different traditional Mandalis recited the Sanskrit, Awadhi, Kashmiri, Gurumukhi, Assamese, Bengali, Maithili, and Gujarati Ramkathas (recounting the episode of Shri Rama’s return to Ayodhya).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Tamil Nadu, offered prayers at Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram on Saturday. According to sources, the main deity worshipped in this temple is Sri Ramanathaswamy, which is a form of Lord Shiva. It is a widely held belief that the main lingam in this temple was installed and worshipped by Sri Rama and Mata Sita. It is one among the Char Dhams – Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram. It is also one among the 12 Jyotirlingas.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said “Lord Ram to return home after 550 'disrespectful' years, it's a matter of pride for India.” He was speaking in Assam.

SP MP Dimple Yadav has said that she has not received any invitation for the Ram Temple event. She said," I have not received any invitation. Like I have said before, when God calls, we should go at that time. In the coming days you will see that my entire family will go to Ayodhya."

When asked about declining of the invitation to Ram Temple pranpratishtha by a few leaders and convtroversy ober the ceremony, Swami Chidanand Saraswati says, "I think this is not the time for 'rajneeti' but 'rashtraneeti'. At this time, if something has to be done by leaving behind all complaints, it should be thanking the almighty that he gave us this opportunity..."

With just two days left for the grand opening of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor on Saturday approved the half-day holiday for all Delhi govt offices, ULBs, autonomous bodies, undertakings and boards etc, on account of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.  

On behalf of the presiding deity at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a present to be taken to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.

At least 10,000 packets of prasad is being prepared by 'Surbhi Sodh Sansthan' from Varanasi at Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Ayodhya, for the invitees attending the 'pran pratishta ceremony on 22 January.

As many as 100 delegates of 54 nations have confirmed to their presence for the Ram Lalla's consecration ceremony on January 22.

The Ram Temple Trust sent invitations to representatives in the US, Britain, Australia, Africa and Mauritius among many.

A PSU bank named its new branch that opened on Thursday as the 'Ramjanmabhoomi' branch, ahead of the consecration ceremony reported PTI.

Prime Minister Modi listens to a scholar reciting verses from the Kamba Ramayanam at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli on Saturday.

An elephant at Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli blessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he visited the temple to offer prayers ahead of Pran Pratishtha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at Ranganathaswamy Temple in Tiruchirappalli's Srirangam as a part of his 11-day Anushthan.

Ahead of the ceremony on Jan 22, a 400 kg Lock and Key weighing made in 6 months arrives at Ayodhya from Aligarh.

Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha, Nepal devotees sung Ram bhajans as they arrived in Ayodhya.

The 1,265 kg laddoo prasad reached Ayodhya's Karsevakpuram from Hyderabad.

N Nagabhushanam Reddy of Sri Ram Catering Services, who prepared these laddoos, says, "God has blessed my business and my family. I had pledged to prepare a 1kg laddoo for each day till I am alive... I have brought a food certificate as well. These laddoos can last one month. 25 men prepared the laddoos for 3 days..."

On Saturday, Hindu Sena activists put a sticker of 'Ayodhya Marg' on Babar Road in Delhi.

News agency PTI reported that the Delhi University and Jamia Milia Islamia will be closed for half day until; 2:30 pm on Monday, January 22, ahead of the consecration ceremony.

However, it reported that all pre-scheduled exams and meetings will held as usual. 

Ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22, preparations are underway to make 150 quintal laddoos in Chandigarh.

Earlier, a walkathon was also organised in the city. 

A video posted by the news agency ANI showed Nagpur school students dancing on Ram bhajans ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

The rituals for the Pran Pratishtha began on January 16 and will continue till January 21 until the grand opening. 

Here's the Dwadash Adhivas protocols:

18th January (Evening): Teerth Poojan, Jal Yatra, and Gandhadhivas

19th January (Morning): Aushadhadhivas, Kesaradhivas, Ghritadhivas

19th January (Evening): Dhanyadhivas

20th January (Morning): Sharkaradhivas, Phaladhivas

20th January (Evening): Pushpadhivas

21st January (Morning): Madhyadhivas

21st January (Evening): Shaiyadhivas 

Here's the morning visual of the Ram Temple.