Stunning glimpses of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya as seen from the first floor.
Sacred spots and soaring peaks: Bucket-listing across the heartland. Roopa Unnikrishnan and her father journey through the heart of India.
The 86-year-old Mahant was undergoing treatment in Gwalior for the last few days, and was brought to the Medanta Hospital after his condition showed no improvement.
Seers in Ayodhya announce a boycott of the upcoming Ram Leela, objecting to its 'unrestrained' and 'cinematic' presentation, citing concerns about the actors' lifestyles and the sanctity of the epic.
Das served as the head priest since he was 20 years old, including during the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.
According to Hindu scriptures, Ganga Dussehra marks the day the holy river Ganga descended to Earth from Lord Shiva's locks, moved by King Bhagirath's penance. The day is considered highly auspicious and symbolises virtue, penance, and the collective well-being of humanity.
Ayodhya resonated with devotional fervour on Tuesday morning as thousands of devotees streamed into the temple town ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to ceremonially hoist a saffron flag atop the Ram temple, marking the formal completion of its construction.
The Congress party has distanced itself from Shashi Tharoor's remarks praising BJP leader L.K. Advani, stating that Tharoor speaks for himself and that his continued membership in the CWC reflects the party's democratic spirit.
It will be heard by a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
Glimpses of the construction of the Shikhar and upper floors of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has appealed to devotees from nearby areas to postpone their visit to Ayodhya for 15-20 days, citing the large number of devotees flocking to the town since January 26. The trust said this will allow devotees from distant places to have an easier darshan experience. The appeal comes as Ayodhya has witnessed a footfall of around 40 lakh devotees since Monday, choking the roads and bylanes leading to the Ram Temple with huge traffic snarls.
The Ayodhya municipal corporation is grappling with a unique problem: a massive pile of abandoned footwear left behind by devotees at the Ram temple. This issue has arisen due to a change in crowd management measures, leading to a long journey to retrieve shoes for many visitors, causing them to leave the temple barefoot.
Security has been heightened around the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya following an alleged threat from pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The founder of the banned outfit 'Sikhs for Justice' reportedly threatened to attack the temple on November 16-17, coinciding with the 'Ram Vivah' festival. Ayodhya has been fortified with increased police presence, surveillance, and anti-terror measures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ceremonially hoisted a saffron flag atop the Ram temple in Ayodhya, marking the formal completion of its construction.
'Even if the government does not implement an all-India NRC before 2024, it will be part of the party's long-term project.'
A flag-hoisting ceremony is planned for the Ram temple in Ayodhya in November, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to be the chief guest. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has shortlisted two dates in November for the event, with preparations gaining momentum.
Two elderly devotees from Haryana, who had come to pay obeisance at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, died on Monday. Police have denied social media claims that the deaths were caused by a stampede. The devotees, a woman and a man, fainted outside the temple and were rushed to Sri Ram Hospital where they died. Both victims were aged above 60 and are yet to be identified. The exact cause of the deaths is not known but officials suspect that they died of cardiac arrest.
According to police sources, four Hindus and three Muslims were detained while moving around the Kanak Bhavan.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Sunday said 'some people' have been seeking funds in the name of the Ayodhya Ram temple trust without any approval and a complaint has been made to Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Union home ministry requesting for immediate action against them.
Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi was the centre of attention at the pran pratishtha ceremony of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
'The RSS, that advocated military strength, remained in the ideological doghouse for over half a century. Many of the RSS' responses even today carry the burden of this past,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Ayodhya is decked up for the grand pran pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Lord Ram Lalla in the newly built Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.
According to the proposal of the state Tourism department, which was approved by the Cabinet, around Rs 137 crore will be spent on the renovation of the old Punaura Dham Janki Mandir and Rs. 728 crore for the development of tourist infrastructure around the temple. The remaining amount will be spent on the maintenance of the infrastructure for ten years.
The BJP's Murshidabad unit in West Bengal announced plans to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, days after TMC MLA Humayun Kabir proposed to set up a mosque modeled after the Babri Masjid in Beldanga. The temple construction, estimated to cost Rs 10 crore, is expected to begin on January 22, 2025, one year after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Kabir's announcement sparked political controversy, with opposition parties accusing him of attempting to polarise communities for political gain. The BJP's counterproposal is seen as a strategic move to strengthen its presence among the Hindu community in Murshidabad.
The temple trust shared the incident, that took place on Tuesday night, on its official 'X' handle.
The future of India will be shaped and decided by the choices the RSS makes now, argues Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
He said he would offer worship at the Ram temple only when the "shikhar" (topmost part) of the structure is fully constructed.
Besides, various representatives of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and their allies are also aiding in hand-delivering the invitations.
The much-awaited verdict on the title suit of the disputed site at Ayodhya will be pronounced on September 24 by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court.The long pending case is about the ownership of the Ayodhya land to which Hindus and Muslims had been making rival claims over the past one and a quarter century.While Hindus claimed the land to be the site of the birthplace of their most revered Lord Ram, Muslims asserted their right over the same.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has called for Aligarh to be renamed 'Harigarh', drawing parallels with the renaming of Ayodhya and Prayagraj. He also paid tribute to former CM Kalyan Singh and criticized the Samajwadi Party.
Swami Giri said the trust has so far collected more than Rs 3200 crore in donations from individuals and organizations within the country.
As many as 3,800 bamboo and 36 projector lights worth over Rs 50 lakh installed on Bhakti Path and Ram Path, located in a high-security area in Ayodhya, were allegedly stolen, according to police.
Shatrughan Vishwakarma was deployed as part of the Special Security Force (SSF) set to provide security at the temple premises.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has sent invitations to 7,000 people, including 3,000 VVIPs, for the consecration.
Ayodhya district administration has imposed a complete ban on unauthorised drone operations across the district following an order by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath due to potential drone-related threats.
'They are from the north, east, west, south and northeast part of India. They will be the 'mukhya yajmaan' (main hosts)'
Asserting that he prays regularly, the CJI said, "Believe me, if you have faith, God will always find a way."
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has got 'mahaprasad' prepared for the VIPs coming to attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday.
Alok Kumar said that all the required medical facilities and other arrangements will be provided to Advani during his visit to the Pran Pratistha ceremony in Ayodhya.
Quite a few film folk attended the pran pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
