After paying obeisance to Ramlalla and overseeing the construction work of the temple, Shinde said he is happy that the dream of "Hindu Hriday Samrat" Balasaheb Thackeray and crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded young Indian innovators for the country's first privately developed orbital rocket, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1, which made India the third nation with private orbital launch capabilities. While praising the 28-year-old average age of the Skyroot team, Modi made a veiled remark about a "56-year-old young man," widely understood to be a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently turned 56.
This visit by the prime minister comes weeks ahead of the 'pran pratishtha' or consecration ceremony of the Ram temple.
Instead of adversely affecting the interests of minorities, the Tamil Nadu CM said, a UCC would ensure all citizens are treated equally.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray president and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has been sent an invitation by speed post for the Ram temple consecration ceremony to be held in Ayodhya on Monday.
'Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the prime minister installs the idol of Ram Lalla?
VHP international president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said there is enthusiasm among Hindus across the world over the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Ram temple.
Construction work on the Ram temple in Ayodhya is going on in full swing and a part of construction is likely to be completed by October this year, said general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Champat Rai on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday performed a 'Shila Pujan' of the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple and said the temple will be a "symbol of people's belief".
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust is conducting a mass contact and contribution campaign for the construction of the grand temple in Ayodhya which began on January 15 and will go on till February 27.
"While this is not a surprising stance from a nation that practices cross border terrorism and denies its own minorities their religious rights, such comments are nevertheless deeply regrettable," said MEA spokesperson.
"The holy water of the Sharda Kund at the Sharda Peeth PoK was collected by Tanveer Ahmed and his team. Our civil society member across the LoC (Line of Control) carried it to Islamabad, wherefrom it was sent to his daughter Maghribi in the UK.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the expansion of the proposed temple museum in Ayodhya, contracting Tata Sons to develop and operate the project on a 52-acre site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Congress and Samajwadi Party will run a bulldozer over the Ram temple if elected to power, and asked them to take 'tuition' from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath 'where to run bulldozers'.
In Washington, VHP members took out a tableau truck on Tuesday with the digital image of Ram temple, and went around the Capitol Hill with chanting of slogans "Jai Shree Ram" and moving around the city later.
With an eye on the Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party raked up the Ayodhya Ram temple issue on Saturday in a bid to boost the party's morale in Uttar Pradesh where good performance in the past had helped it capture power at the Centre.
Azam Khan, the president of the group said that they want to help the construction of the temple.
'It is best that an amicable solution to the dispute is found outside the precincts of the courts of law,' says former Union home secretary Dr Madhav Godbole.
Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, visited Ayodhya's Ram Mandir to seek blessings ahead of IPL 2026. LSG open their campaign on April 1 vs Delhi Capitals.
They said it was then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi who on February 1, 1986 got the permission for starting prayers at the disputed site and got the locks opened.
'We are also running Ram rasoi (kitchen) free of cost for Ram devotees in Ayodhya'
On the upcoming Ram Temple events, Jamiat said that in light of the recent events linked to the Ram temple in Ayodhya, it deems necessary to draw the attention of the government and law enforcement agencies to concerns about the breach of peace and attempts to "harass and intimidate the minority community."
RSS on Thursday made a series of tweets quoting Bhagwat on the issue.
Sacred spots and soaring peaks: Bucket-listing across the heartland. Roopa Unnikrishnan and her father journey through the heart of India.
Led by Muslim Rashtriya Manch, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed Muslim organisation, the group started their journey from Lucknow on January 25, Shahid Saeed, media in-charge of MRM, said on Wednesday.
The three-day celebrations began on Saturday with a recital of Yajurveda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performing an 'abhishek' on the Ram Lalla idol.
The newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Surya Pratap Shahi visited the disputed site in Ayodhya on Friday and vowed to construct a Ram temple there, saying it was something related to the faith of crores of Hindus.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh executive head Bhaiyyaji Joshi has expressed confidence that the Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya by the time of next 'Kumbh'.
Despite the Ram Mandir issue failing to cut much ice with voters, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to building the temple at Ayodhya.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has sent invitations to 7,000 people, including 3,000 VVIPs, for the consecration.
The UP CM's visit comes a day after senior BJP leaders were charged with conspiracy in the Babri Masjid case.
BJP sources said the government would introduce a fresh Bill on the issue and has reached out to parties that opposed the earlier legislation.
He said God has chosen him as an instrument to represent all Indians during the 'Pran Pratishtha' exercise and that he is undertaking the special religious exercise keeping this in mind.
"There was a Ram temple in Ayodhya and it will exist there in the future, too, and with a grand look," he said.
The prime minister will also visit the Hanuman Garhi temple and the buildings on roads leading to it too are being spruced up.
"The earlier design was made in 1988, now over 30 years have passed and so the footfall will increase with time. People are also very enthusiastic about visiting the temple so we thought its size should be increased. In view of this, the height of the temple has been increased from 141-feet to 161-feet," Nikhil Sompura said.
'For ages Lord Ram's character had served as a source of unity for the entire Indian sub continent.
Haryana government suspends jail officials after a terror accused was murdered inside Neemka Jail in Faridabad. The victim, Abdul Rehman, was allegedly involved in a conspiracy to attack the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
As the temple is inaugurated, unfortunately for Advani but unsurprisingly for the rest of us, the architect of the party's rise will not lead the ceremony and claim credit for his achievement, notes Aakar Patel.
Swami Giri said the trust has so far collected more than Rs 3200 crore in donations from individuals and organizations within the country.
