- Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted saffron flag atop Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya
- The flag hoisting used a unique mechanism: turning a Namaskara symbol
- Ram temple construction began after 2019 Supreme Court verdict and 2020 Bhumi Poojan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hoisted a saffron flag atop the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, marking a historic moment in the shrine's inauguration. The ceremonial hoisting, carried out in an unconventional manner, formally signalled the completion of the temple complex.
Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Unlike traditional flag-hoisting, where a rope is pulled downward to unfurl the flag, Tuesday's ceremony featured a unique ritual. After priests performed Vedic rituals, Prime Minister Modi and Mohan Bhagwat walked to a podium designed with a hand in a 'Namaskara' pose placed beside the folded flag.
By moving the symbolic hand towards the flag, the two leaders activated the mechanism that hoisted it atop the temple.
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Following the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi said, "This Dharma Dhwaja is not just a flag. It is the flag of the rejuvenation of Indian civilisation. The saffron colour, Suryavansh's insignia, the 'Om' word, and the Kovidara tree impersonate Ram Rajya's glory. This flag is a resolution, a success, a story of struggle to creation... For the coming thousands of centuries, this flag will proclaim Lord Ram's values."
The saffron flag measures 22 feet by 11 feet and is made of parachute-grade cloth with a thick nylon hoisting rope. It now stands atop a 161-foot spire on the temple.
The flag features symbols including the Sun, representing Lord Ram's Surya Vansh lineage, the sacred 'Om', and the Kovidara tree, which is described as the state tree of Ram Rajya.
Construction of the Ram temple began after Prime Minister Modi performed the Bhumi Poojan in August 2020. Its foundation was made possible after the Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment on November 9, 2019, allocated the 2.77-acre disputed land for the temple's construction.
