Gujarat Govt Declares Half-Day for Ram Mandir's 'Pran Pratishtha' on January 22

The Gujarat government declared a half-day at all government offices and educational institutes on January 22, the day of Ram Mandir's 'pran pratishtha' in Ayodhya. The official order specified the half-day until 2:30 pm on the designated day. Other states, including Haryana and Rajasthan, also declared a half-day off for their employees. Maharashtra, Puducherry, and Chandigarh declared the day a public holiday to allow government employees to witness the consecration on television or participate in local religious events.

Security measures were heightened at Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad Railway Station ahead of the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya and Republic Day. State police, accompanied by a dog squad, conducted security checks at the railway station.

On Friday, the first image of the new Ram Lalla idol was unveiled, building anticipation for the consecration ceremony at the Ayodhya temple on January 22. The statue, carved from black stone sourced from Karnataka, features covered eyes with a yellow cloth and is adorned with a garland of roses, as per the picture released by the Vishva Hindu Parishad. Ram Lalla, the child Ram, stands in a posture of significance. The new 51-inch idol, sculpted by Mysuru-based artist Arun Yogiraj, was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon, transported there on a truck the previous night.

Rituals at the temple commenced at 8:30 am on Friday and continued until 3:30 pm. The consecration ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:20 pm and is expected to conclude at 1 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a gathering of over 7,000 people at the venue, with a substantial audience anticipated to watch the event live on television.