Folk dances, palki yatra, Ram dhun: How Ayodhya celebrated Pran Pratishtha

Ayodhya: A bevy of artistes performing folk dances, a 'palki yatra' conducted by a religious troupe from Bhopal and scores of devotees from Ayodhya and other cities chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' is how the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple was celebrated in the holy city on Monday.

Besides, a band from the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) played tunes of "Ram Aayenge" and "Sare Jehan se Achha" in the streets of Ayodhya to celebrate the 'Pran Pratishtha' at the temple.

A group of 111 devotees from an old shrine in Bhopal took out the 'palki yatra' from the Baba Nageshwar Nath temple to the Ram Path, passing by the Ram ki Paidi.

They played cymbals, a big 'nagada', a gong, 'damru' and 'mridangini', Laksh Soni, a member of the group told PTI.

The 'palki' depicted a Ram Durbar with wooden idols.

Religious fervour gripped Ayodhya and despite biting cold, the spirit of the people was high. They joined the festivities amid chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' and traditional songs extolling Lord Ram playing on loudspeakers.

Despite restrictions in place for vehicular and pedestrian movement in the city, a large number of people, including those who came from different cities, lined a section of the Ram Path on both sides, and milled around at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk.

Anurag Sharma from Sikar in Rajasthan walked around with a model of the Ram temple in the streets.

"I brought this with me from my home town. I landed here taking the first inaugural flight to Ayodhya and since then, I have been here, only to be here on this day," he told PTI.

Narayan Kishan Berne, 49, from Maharashtra, also walked around the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'.

"I had come to Ayodhya in 2011 and taken a pledge that I will travel to Ayodhya if the Ram temple gets built. So, I arrived here few days ago," he said.

Cut-outs of Lord Ram were put up along the Ram Path and on the fence of this popular roundabout. A cut-out of the newly-built Ram temple and the deity were installed near the chowk where the Ram Path and the Dharm Path meet.

The new idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the newly constructed temple here amid grand celebrations in the holy city, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals.

The 20-member band, belonging to PAC's fourth battalion based in Prayagraj, performed on a walkway along the Dharm Path, the showpiece street of the temple town, now adorned with 40 Surya Stambhs.

The PAC band belted out tunes, much to people's delight, against the backdrop of a cut-out of the temple which carried a caption --'India's grand temple, 161 ft, 28,000 sqft'.

A large poster bearing the image of Lord Ram on one side and Prime Minister Modi on the right side and a couplet in between, stood behind the cut-out.

"We have come from Prayagraj and we represent the fourth battalion of the PAC, stationed at Doomanganj. We are playing for Ram ji (Lord Ram) today as his grand temple has been built," Platoon Commander Arvind Kumar, who conducted the band, told PTI.

The band played five tunes starting with "Raghupati Raghv Raja Ram", "Ram Janaki Baithe Hain Mere Seene Mein", "Kabhi Ram, Kabhi Shyam", "Raam Aayenge" and "Sare Jehan's se Accha".

All members of the band were delighted to play in Ayodhya to celebrate the new temple and the consecration ceremony.

The magnificent temple has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its length (east-west) is 380 feet, width 250 feet and will eventually rise to 161 feet (shikhar). It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors.

"We have played on several other occasions in the past, including on Republic Day and Independence Day in the past," he said.