Ayodhya Ram Temple all set for grand show: PM Modi to hoist sacred flag; no public darshan on Nov 25 - Full guide

Ram temple

Ayodhya is preparing for a major historic moment today as the Ram temple gets ready for its grand flag hoisting ceremony, marking the completion of the temple’s construction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the sacred flag atop the temple’s shikhar (spire) during the ceremony.

- The ritual is expected to take four minutes and will be performed during the shubh muhurat between 11.52 am and 12.35 pm. As the flag is unfurled, helicopters will shower flower petals over the temple.

- To ensure the ritual is conducted with traditional precision, 21 Vedic acharyas will oversee the ceremony, accompanied by volunteers blowing conch shells.

- This will be one of the final rituals marking the completion of the main temple structure, which has been under construction in phases since the consecration ceremony in January 2024.

- The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has invited around 6,000 to 7,000 guests from different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Several business leaders and industrialists who have contributed to the temple’s construction are also expected to attend.

- For security and crowd management, the trust has announced that no VIP darshan passes will be issued one day before or after the flag hoisting ceremony.

- Darshan for the general public will be allowed only on November 24 and 26, but without passes, as higher footfall is expected.

- On November 25, the temple will remain open exclusively for invited guests, and no public darshan will be permitted. The venue will have 15 seating blocks named after prominent rishis, and a 200-feet wide LED screen will broadcast the ceremony live.

- The temple and the city are being adorned with elaborate floral decorations, with around 100 tons of flowers used to decorate Ayodhya for the sacred event.

- Indologist Lalit Mishra's discovery has restored Ayodhya's ancient flag to its rightful place. Mishra identified the flag while studying a painting from the pictorial Ramayana of Mewar and later confirmed its mention in the Valmiki Ramayana's Ayodhya Kand.

- The flag to be hoisted carries three symbols: Om, the Sun, and the Kovidara tree. The Kovidar tree is a hybrid of the 'Mandar' and 'Parijat' trees, created by Rishi Kashyap, showcasing ancient plant hybridisation. The Sun represents Lord Ram's Suryavansh lineage, and Om is the eternal spiritual sound.