Delhi goes 'Ram-maye' as people celebrate Ayodhya pran pratishtha

Delhi was a city drenched devotion on Monday.There was a Diwali like atmosphere as many residential societies, temples and markets across the national capital were decorated with special lights and flower patterns while chants of Jai Shri Ram rent the air as people held Sundarkand recitals, took out rallies and organised bhandara.In the evening, people lit diyas earthen lamps at their homes and burst firecrackers to celebrate the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Lord Ram posters dotting the city, saffron flags with the deity's picture everywhere, devotional songs blaring through loudspeakers and special screens live-telecasting the Ram Lalla 'pran pratishtha' from Ayodhya! Delhi was a city drenched devotion on Monday.

There was a Diwali like atmosphere as many residential societies, temples and markets across the national capital were decorated with special lights and flower patterns while chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' rent the air as people held Sundarkand recitals, took out rallies and organised 'bhandara'.

In the evening, people lit diyas (earthen lamps) at their homes and burst firecrackers to celebrate the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Markets were illuminated with diyas in different formations of words like Ram, Om and swastika symbol.

People in the religious processions danced to devotional songs. Arrangements were made for special prayers in temples across the national capital. With demand skyrocketing, the prices of saffron flags, Lord Ram posters and photos have gone up.

Top BJP leaders, including party chief J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, watched live-streaming of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited a Shiva temple here, described the event in Ayodhya as a ''revolutionary work'' and said those who witnessed this moment are fortunate.

The new idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the newly constructed temple here amid grand celebrations in the temple town, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals.

The prime minister said the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the magnificent Ram temple marks the advent of a new era and called upon people to build the foundation of a strong, grand and divine India of the next 1,000 years.

The Aam Aadmi Party also organised 'shobha yatras' and 'bhandaras' in different parts of the city to celebrate the 'pran pratishtha (consecration)' ceremony.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his cabinet colleagues and AAP MLAs took part in various religious events across the city.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kejriwal said he participated in 'bhandaras' organised in different areas of Delhi.

''Hearty congratulations and best wishes to all of you on this sacred occasion of the installation of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram in the grand temple. Hail Siya Ram,'' he said in another post.

At one of the events where he participated, Kejriwal said, ''We were not able to attend pran pratistha event in Ayodhya due to heavy VIP movement, but we are worshiping Lord Shri Ram in our own way.'' Chamber Of Trade and Industry (CTI), one of the leading organisations of traders and industrialists in Delhi, said special programmes were organised in small and large 700 markets of Pitampura, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, Rajouri Garden and Tilak Nagar.

CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said there was a Diwali-like atmosphere in the markets across the national capital.

''There was an atmosphere of joy and happiness in markets. Traders distributed sweets at many places. Sunderkand recitals were organised. People took out Shobha Yatras and burst crackers. In many areas, music bands also performed,'' Goyal said.

At the heart of Delhi -- Connaught Place -- the bustling hub of commercial and leisure activities, arrangements were made to show the live telecast of the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony from Ayodhya.

There was a ''bhajan-kirtan'' programme with a playlist curated by five DJs. An 11-kg laddoo was offered to Lord Ram. Amit Gupta, joint secretary of the New Delhi Traders' Association, said traders lit diyas at the inner circle of Connaught Place.

Rakesh Kumar Yadav, president of Sadar Bazar Trade Association, said that 'dhol' was played. Bhandara prasad was also distributed among the devotees.'' The temples in the city performed special puja and aarti. They offered food through bhandaras while people were seen donating winter clothes.

The Shri Sidh Shakti Peeth Shanidham Mandir at Asola installed its own idol of lord Ram. ''We have installed an idol of Lord Ram in the temple coinciding with Ayodhya's idol installation ceremony,'' it said.

The residents of Madhuban Enclave, IAS Officers Colony in East Delhi organised mega festivities which included a cultural programme and Sunderkand Path.

''I have been serving the Madhuban Mandir Samiti since 1980, and it gives me immense joy to witness the resurrection of the holy Ram temple in Ayodhya,'' Madhuban Mandir Samiti president Harish Seth said.

''All the residents of Madhuban Enclave have contributed to making today's event a great success. The heartfelt devotion of residents to Lord Ram has culminated in today's festivities,'' he said.

Students in the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Delhi University organised Sundarkand recitals, Shobhayatra (religious procession) and 'hawan' on campus.

National media convenor of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Ashutosh Singh said the students participated in a large number. ''We have lit 2.5 lakh diyas from Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station to Hansraj College,'' he added.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Arun Govil, former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Ravishankar Prasad and industrialist Anil Ambani, among others, attended the event in Ayodhya.