Uttar Pradesh's temple city of Ayodhya has geared up for the ceremony of the saffron flag hoisting on the spire of the Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, symbolising the completion of its construction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform the sacred Hindu ritual of 'Dhwaja Arohan' by hoisting a 22-foot religious (dharmic) flag on Tuesday.
"The programme will take place on the auspicious Panchami of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Margashirsha, coinciding with the Abhijit Muhurat of Shri Ram and Maa Sita's Vivah Panchami, a day symbolising divine union. This date also marks the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Sikh Guru, who meditated in Ayodhya for 48 uninterrupted hours in the 17th century, further enhancing the spiritual significance of the day," PM Modi's office said in a statement.
In scriptural tradition, the raising of the 'dhwaja' symbolises the victory of 'dharma' (righteousness) over 'adharma' (unrighteousness).
The right-angled triangular flag, measuring ten feet in height and twenty feet in length, bears the image of a radiant sun symbolising the brilliance and valour of Lord Rama, with an 'Om' inscribed on it along with the image of Kovidara tree.
"The sacred saffron flag will convey a message of dignity, unity, and cultural continuity, embodying the ideals of Ram Rajya," PM Modi's office said.
The flag will rise atop a 'shikhar' constructed in the traditional North Indian Nagara architectural style, while the surrounding 800-metre Parkota, a circumambulatory enclosure built around the temple, designed in the South Indian architectural tradition, showcases the temple's architectural diversity, it said.
PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for Ram Mandir in August 2020, almost a year after the Supreme Court awarded the entire 2.77-acre disputed land for the construction of the temple.
The Prime Minister then performed the consecration ceremony in January 2024.
