UP CM Yogi Adityanath visits Ayodhya, takes stock of preparation for foundation laying ceremony

AHEAD of the long-awaited Bhumi  Pujan commencing the construction of a unique  Ram Temple by Prime Minister Narendra  Modi adhering to the corona lockdowns at Ayodhya on August 5, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath updated himself on the security protocols for the distinguished guests who will be present on the occasion. He had interactions on Saturday, 25 July 2020 with temple authorities and top-ranking officers at the iconic city being rebuilt as a major attraction for pilgrims and tourists. Besides PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, former  BJP President Lal Krishna  Advani, who had participated wholeheartedly with Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati and other activists of the Janmabhoomi Movement are expected to attend the august ceremony. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray  has also been extended invitation. The ground-breaking ceremony or “Bhoomi Poojan” will be held inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex and a total of 150 to 200 people are likely to attend, with social distancing norms in the times of the coronavirus pandemic. The height of the temple is being increased by  20 feet – to make it 161-foot tall – as compared to the original design which was prepared in 1988 and mentioned its height as 141 feet. Two mandaps or pavilions have also been added to the design,  temple architect Chandrakant Sompura from Gujarat said. His father, Prabhakar Sompura, was the architect of the famed Somnath Temple in Gujarat and the temple in Mathura, the mythological birthplace of Lord Krishna. Chandrakant Sompura, himself, has designed more than 100 temples, including the Swami Narayan Temple in Gandhinagar, Ambaji Temple in Palanpur and several others. The Economic Times reported  quoting his son Ashish Sompura saying the proposed temple has been designed in the Nagara style, largely prevalent in the western part of the country. “This temple will be one of the very few temples in the country with an octagonal sanctum sanctorum,” he told ET. The ground floor of the two-storied temple would house Ram Lalla, the child form of the deity, while the first floor will have the Ram Darbar comprising the statues of Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman. CM YOJI also visited Ram Lalla Hanuman Garhi and spoke to some seers. Meanwhile, Allahabad High Court has rejected a petition challenging the holding of the Bhoomi Pujan during COVID-19 pandemic. The High Court said that guidelines of the COVID, including social distancing, should be followed. The Bhoomi Puja will last three days be starting on August 3. On August 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple at 12:15 am. The Bhoomi puja will be performed by Vedic scholars and acharya pandits of Kashi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya.Picture courtesy: HT