President Murmu to lead rituals by placing ‘Ram Yantra’ in temple; CM reviews preps

Lucknow: To organise Ram Navami celebrations in a grand manner, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday reviewed the preparations to welcome and host President Droupadi Murmu at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on March 19.President Murmu will lead the rituals and place Ram Yantra in the temple. The ceremony is being held on the first day of Chaitra Navratri to mark the beginning of Hindu New Year.The govt and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust have made extensive preparations for the occasion.According to general secretary of the trust, Champat Rai, the Shri Ram Yantra was brought to Ayodhya two years ago. "Based on Vedic mathematics and geometric patterns, the ‘yantra' is regarded as a sacred symbol believed to channel divine energy and positive spiritual vibrations. It is currently being worshipped before Raja Ram and will be placed on the second floor of the Ram Temple during the ceremony," Rai said.A nine-day Vedic ritual has already begun ahead of the installation, with priests and scholars from South India, Varanasi and Ayodhya participating. Around 7,000 people are expected to attend the event, including saints, dignitaries and contributors associated with the construction of the temple.President Murmu is scheduled to arrive in Ayodhya around 11am. The main installation ritual is set for 11.55 am during the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat amid Vedic chanting.Around 300 saints and guests from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to be present. Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi is also expected to arrive with 1,000 devotees from Kerala.Invitations were sent to organisations and individuals who contributed to the temple's construction, including representatives of Larsen & Toubro, the Tata Group and the family of architect Chandrakant Sompura. About 1,800 craftsmen and workers involved in stone, wood and marble carving, pillar sculpting, idol-making and temple garments were also invited.Security was tightened for the event, with all guests to receive QR-coded passes.Darshan for regular devotees will continue with adjustments. Authorities are also focusing on cleanliness, decoration and crowd management across the temple complex.