PM Modi to Perform Sacred 'Dhwaja Arohan' Ceremony at Ayodhya's Ram Temple: Marking Construction Completion

Ayodhya:

The temple city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is prepared for the significant 'Dhwaja Arohan' ceremony at the Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, marking the completion of its construction. The event centers around hoisting a saffron flag on the temple's spire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will conduct the sacred 'Dhwaja Arohan' ritual on Tuesday, which involves raising a 22-foot religious flag. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's office, this ceremony will take place during the auspicious Panchami of Shukla Paksha in Margashirsha month, coinciding with the Abhijit Muhurat of Lord Ram and Maa Sita's Vivah Panchami - a day symbolizing divine union.

The chosen date also commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who meditated in Ayodhya for 48 consecutive hours during the 17th century, adding further spiritual significance to the occasion.

In religious traditions, the raising of the 'dhwaja' represents the triumph of righteousness (dharma) over unrighteousness (adharma). The right-angled triangular flag measures ten feet in height and twenty feet in length, featuring a radiant sun symbolizing Lord Rama's brilliance and valor, with an 'Om' inscription and the image of the Kovidara tree.

The Prime Minister's office stated that this sacred saffron flag will convey a message of dignity, unity, and cultural continuity, embodying the ideals of Ram Rajya.

The flag will be mounted atop a 'shikhar' built in the traditional North Indian Nagara architectural style. Surrounding the temple is an 800-metre Parkota, a circumambulatory enclosure designed in South Indian architectural tradition, highlighting the temple's architectural diversity.

Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone for Ram Mandir in August 2020, approximately one year after the Supreme Court granted the entire 2.77-acre disputed land for temple construction. He subsequently performed the temple's consecration ceremony in January 2024.