Many described this ceremony as a moment awaited “for 500 years”.
PM Modi Hoists Sacred Saffron Flag at Ayodhya Ram Mandir in Historic ‘Dhwaj Arohan’ Ceremony
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ayodhya today for the historic “Dhwaj Arohan” ceremony to mark the formal completion of the Ram Mandir. The Prime Minister is going to hoist a right-angled triangular saffron flag that is 10 feet high and 20 feet long, with a radiant sun, an ‘Om’, and the sacred Kovidara tree — symbols which are associated with Lord Ram’s valour and divine energy. The flag has been placed atop the temple’s shikhar, which is built in the traditional North Indian Nagara architectural style.
The ceremony coincides with the Abhijit Muhurat of Vivah Panchami, an auspicious day of the divine wedding of Lord Ram and Sita. The date also commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur. According to some media channels, he meditated in Ayodhya for 48 uninterrupted hours in the 17th century, adding historical depth to the occasion.
108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi, and South India, under the guidance of Kashi scholar Ganeshwar Shastri, will perform the rituals. The Ram Mandir Trust said nearly 6,000 invited guests are expected, and entries are restricted to QR-coded passes until 2:30 pm.
Ayodhya woke up to chants of “Jai Shri Ram” as thousands of devotees streamed in from early morning. Many described this ceremony as a moment awaited “for 500 years”. Inside the temple, priests had been conducting rituals for the past four days.
Officials deployed 6,970 personnel, including ATS commandos, NSG snipers, cyber units, bomb squads, dog squads, and anti-drone systems for high security. Senior officers oversaw crowd management, explosives screening, and emergency response operations across the temple town.
During his visit, PM Modi will offer prayers at the Ram Darbar Garbh Grah and the Ram Lalla Garbh Grah and is also going to visit the Saptmandir, Sheshavtar Mandir, and Mata Annapurna Mandir. The temple complex features 87 carved stone episodes from the Valmiki Ramayana and 79 bronze-cast depictions of Indian culture.
The Prime Minister previously performed the Bhoomi Pujan in August 2020 and presided over the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha in January 2024. Today’s flag-hoisting, described by many as a symbolic “second pran pratishtha”, marked the temple’s full readiness and a new chapter of cultural celebration for India.
