PM Narendra Modi offers prayers to Ram Lalla, performs 'sashtang pranam' at Ram Janmabhoomi site

Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (August 5, 2020) arrived in the holy town of Ayodhya and offered prayers to Sri Ram Lalla Virajman and performed 'sashtang pranam' at the historic Ram Janmabhoomi site.

#Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers to Ram Lalla, performs 'sashtang pranam' (prostration) at Ram Janmabhoomi site. pic.twitter.com/XA5Pg5Xed8

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2020

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ayodhya dressed in a golden-colored traditional dhoti kurta. In the picture shared by the Prime Minister`s Office, Prime Minister Modi was seen greeting the countrymen with folded hands and his face beaming with pride.

He paired the golden kurta with an off-white dhoti and a matching traditional stole which has golden borders. Prime Minister`s golden attire signified the vibrance and excitement of the countrymen as they are all set to witness the historic moment. The Prime Minister`s dusted off the look with black shoes.

After arriving in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Modi first visited the Hanuman Garhi temple, marking the first-ever visit by any Prime Minister to this temple.

#Ayodhya: As per tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers at Hanuman Garhi Temple before proceeding to Ram Janmabhoomi site. UP CM Yogi Adityanath also accompanying him.

Before 'Bhoomi Pujan', PM will plant a Parijat (night-flowering jasmine) sapling. pic.twitter.com/xjARmjWFf9 — ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a headgear, silver 'mukut' (crown) and stole by Sri Gaddinsheen Premdas Maharaj, head priest of 10th-century Hanuman Garhi Temple.

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented with a headgear, silver 'mukut' and stole by Sri Gaddinsheen Premdas Maharaj, head priest of 10th-century Hanuman Garhi Temple.#Ayodhya #RamTemple pic.twitter.com/EOgqrz9hi1 — ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2020

Before proceeding to the Ram Janmabhoomi site, the PM also planted a Parijat (night-flowering jasmine) sapling. UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the saint Nritya Gopal Das accompanied the PM during his temple visit.

He also became the first Prime Minister to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi site. He is set to unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and also release a commemorative postage stamp on `Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir`.

PM Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya amid chants of Vedic mantras by priests from across the country.  

The grand celebrations for the ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ started at 8 AM and PM Modi will perform the ground-breaking ceremony at the auspicious time of 12:40 PM. Huge CCTV screens have been set up across the holy city in order to allow the people to watch the ceremony live once it begins. 

Every street in Ayodhya has been illuminated with earthen lamps ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ram Temple on Wednesday. People also lit 'diyas' on the banks of Saryu river as part of the 'deepotsava' celebrations in the temple town which will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries arrive today for the `bhoomi pujan` ceremony of the Ram Temple.

The entire Ayodhya has been decked up and massive preparations have been made for this occasion with a festive air.

Meanwhile, Centre’s coronavirus COVID-19 protocols have been put in place and the social distancing norms are being strictly followed ahead of the much-awaited Ram Temple Bhomi Pujan in Ayodhya, which is scheduled to begin with great fervor around 12.40 PM.

In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitisation work was also done at the Hanuman Garhi temple in the morning ahead of the Prime Minister`s visit. Strict security and COVID-19 protocols will be followed at the temple when Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives there along with other dignitaries. 

Over 11,000 diyas are set to be lit across the city of Ayodhya, illuminating every street and all houses will be celebrating with a 'deepotsava', a festival of lights. Invitations have been sent to 175 people, including 135 saints of 35 religious organisations to attend the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Ram temple. 

Apart from PM Modi, the ceremony will be attended by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, Senior BJP leaders LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Iqbal Ansari (former litigant in Ayodhya land dispute case) and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.