Ayodhya gears up for Ram Mandir opening with 13,000 security forces, anti-bomb squads

The grand consecretion ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the 'Pran Pratistha' rituals, will be held tomorrow. Security has been beefed up in the city as part of a multi-layered security plan ahead of the event, with around 13,000 forces deployed.

Those who were part of the agitation for the temple construction will also attend the consecration ceremony. Celebrities such as Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, sporting legends Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni are among those who have been invited to attend the 'Pran Pratistha'.

Anti-bomb and dog squads have also been deployed, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has set up a camp near the shrine in Ayodhya to respond to contingencies, if any, news agency ANI reported.

The 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony will commence at 12:20 pm and is expected to conclude by 1 pm. PM Modi will then address a gathering of over 7,000 people, including seers and eminent personalities, at the venue. Meanwhile, lakhs of people are expected to watch the event live on television and other online platforms, with many states declaring a holiday while the Centre has announced a half-day.

The pre-Pran Pratistha rituals began on January 16 and are supposed to end today.

The newly built 51-inch Ram Lalla idol, sculpted by Mysuru-based Arun Yogiraj, was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir on Thursday (January 18), and its first image was released on Friday.

Earlier in the day, new visuals were released by the Ram Mandir trust, showing the inside view of the beautiful temple as it geared up for tomorrow's mega inauguration.

After tomorrow's consecration ceremony, the Ram Mandir will be opened for public view on Tuesday (January 23).