INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (12) started a special religious practice in the run-up to the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in the northern temple town of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on January 22. He will inaugurate the temple in what is being projected as a mega show.
In a post on X, the prime minister, who was on a visit to the western state of Maharashtra, said, “Only 11 days are left for the consecration of Ramlala in Ayodhya. I am fortunate that I will also be a witness to this auspicious occasion. The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India during the consecration."
“Keeping this in mind, I am starting a special ritual of 11 days from today. I am seeking blessings from all the people. At this moment, it is very difficult to express my feelings in words, but I have tried from my side…," he added.
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The consecration or 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony is a ritual of infusing divine consciousness into an earthly idol. Rules for fasting before the ritual have also been prescribed in the scriptures.
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Rituals for the 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony in Ayodhya will kick off on January 16. Ayodhya will also observe 'Amrit Mahotsav' between January 14 and 22, the day of the ceremony. A priest from the Hindu holy city of Varanasi will perform the main rituals.
The occasion will see several thousands of high-profile Indians, including political leaders, industrialists, sportspersons and celebrities besides millions of devotees in attendance. Guests are also expected to come from abroad.
This photograph taken on April 28, 2026 shows a boy getting "thali", a sacred thread tied to his neck symbolising marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom.Getty Images
This photograph taken on April 29, 2026 shows a member of the transgender community mourning as a priest cuts the "thali", a sacred thread symbolising end of her marriage to Hindu warrior god Aravan during the annual Koovagam transgender festival at the Koothandavar temple in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. For a few fleeting days each year, at the heart of the Koothandavar Temple where ostracised transgender community members from across India come to honour the Hindu deity Aravan, a tradition rooted in millennia-old Hindu texts -- and to enjoy a brief oasis of freedom. Getty Images