Lucknow: Ayodhya is set to host another major ceremony at the Ram temple on Tuesday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi leads the ‘Dhwajarohan’, a traditional flag-hoisting ritual on the temple’s spire, or ‘shikhar‘.
The Ram temple was consecrated in January 2024, and construction has continued in phases since then. It will be Modi’s second visit to the Ram Mandir after its inauguration.
According to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust functionaries, the ritual will take place during the ‘shubh muhurat’ (auspicious time) between 11:52 am and 12:35 pm, and will last about four minutes. Around 21 Vedic acharyas and volunteers blowing conch shells will take part in the ceremony, while helicopters will shower flower petals over the temple spire.
The Trust has invited 6,000 to 7,000 guests from across Uttar Pradesh for the event. The focus is on bringing people from different caste groups and rural backgrounds, along with leading businessmen and industrialists who have made significant contributions to the temple project.
Three members of the Dom community from Varanasi have also been invited to the grand flag-hoisting ceremony. They are relatives of the late Dom Raja Jagdish Chaudhary, who had proposed Narendra Modi’s name as a candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Dom community performs cremation rituals and provides the sacred fire believed to help departed souls attain peace, an important role in Hindu tradition, though often not given much recognition.
Special flag made in Gujarat
The flag that Modi will hoist on top of the Ram Mandir has been made in Ahmedabad by a company that normally makes parachutes.
According to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece Organiser, the flag is being crafted with special silk threads and parachute fabric so it can withstand sun, rain, and strong winds. Its quality was finalised after discussions with senior Army officers.
The flag will be 22 ft long and 11 ft wide, and it will be placed on a 42-ft pole fixed on top of the temple’s 161-ft spire. The pole has a 360-degree rotating system with ball bearings, which will help it survive wind speeds of up to 60 km per hour without getting damaged.
On 25 November, the temple will allow entry only to guests, and regular darshan (visit) will remain closed. There will be 15 seating blocks, each named after a well-known rishi.
A 200-ft-wide LED screen will be set up to show the ceremony live to the guests. Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also take part in the puja after the flag hoisting.
Temple authorities say this year’s celebrations will be especially grand. Along with the main shrine, the smaller temples dedicated to Mahadev, Ganesh, Hanuman, Suryadev, Maa Bhagwati, Maa Annapurna, and Sheshavatar will also be decorated.
A group of 108 acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi, and southern India will conduct the rituals under the guidance of Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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