Ayodhya’s grand finale: Ram Temple trust to honour grassroots, marginalised voices at flag hoisting

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has begun final preparations for the grand finale of the Ayodhya Ram Temple project — the flag hoisting ceremony scheduled for November 25, coinciding with Vivah Panchami, the festival celebrating the marriage of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. According to The Indian Express, President Droupadi Murmu is expected to attend the landmark event.

Trust officials said that the three-day ritual, starting on November 23, will culminate in the hoisting of a 42-foot-long flag atop the 161-foot spire of the main sanctum. Similar flags will also be raised simultaneously across newly built shrines to other deities within the sprawling complex.

Unlike the earlier consecration ceremonies, which drew political leaders, saints and cultural icons from across the country, this concluding event will centre on the theme of samras samaj (inclusive society). As reported by The Indian Express, the guest list is being curated with the assistance of the RSS and VHP, focusing largely on local and marginalised communities.

Trust insiders explained that gram pradhans from 24 districts surrounding Ayodhya, spanning Awadh, Gorakhpur and Kanpur regions, will be invited, alongside grassroots contributors from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. These invitees may not be widely known but have been recognised for their “vital contribution to society in their own way”, the officials added.