JANUARY 22 will be a special day in the history of independent India as on the date, the country will see the inauguration of the much-awaited Ram temple in the holy town of Ayodhya in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Prime minister Narendra Modi, who will preside over the consecration ceremony, has embarked on a 11-day special ritual in the run-up to the mega event, immersing himself in rigorous religious rites and temple visits.
According to sources, the 73-year-old leader has adhered to a disciplined routine ahead of the ceremony whereby he is sleeping on the floor, drinking only coconut water and engaging in devotional acts such as feeding cows.
Read: Modi begins ‘special ritual’ 11 days ahead of Ram Mandir inauguration: ‘I am fortunate…’
A man sits at a bus stop, ahead of the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir, in Ayodhya in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, January 19, 2024. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma)
Modi has been travelling to many temples across western and southern India in recent times, including those in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. On Saturday (20) and Sunday (21), he will go to some temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Some of the temples that the PM visited are not religious landmarks but also locations that have found a mention in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Read: Ram Mandir: Passengers dressed as Lord Ram, Hanuman board flight to Ayodhya; WATCH
The PM was also seen taking part in a cleanliness drive called Swachh Teerth Campaign aimed at making temples and pilgrimage centres clean nationwide. The initiative gained focus particularly after Modi himself cleaned the premises of a temple in Nashik in Maharashtra with water and broom and urged everyone to conduct such campaigns in temples.
Celebrities and common citizens responded to the prime minister's call and #SwachhTeerthCampaign became a top trending topic on social media platforms.
Modi on Friday (19) said that his government is inspired by Lord Ram's principles of governance.
"Modi's guarantee means 'guarantee puri hone ki guarantee'. Lord Ram taught us to honour commitments made and we are fulfilling all goals we set for the welfare of the poor and their empowerment," he said as quoted by news agency Press Trust of India.
He said this while addressing a gathering in Solapur in Maharashtra after laying the foundation stone of 8 AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) projects worth around Rs 2,000 crore in the state.
(With PTI inputs)
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