On January 22, the preparations for the consecration ceremony ("Prana Pratishtha") of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, scheduled to take place, are in their final stages. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust has decided that the event should be grand enough to be remembered for years to come. Therefore, the Trust has not only invited saints, priests, and religious leaders from across the country but also extended invitations to past and present administrative officials and journalists who were stationed in the Ayodhya region around 1992. The guest list is extensive, including prominent industrialists, scientists, actors, and honored individuals with Padma awards.
Addressing a press conference on Monday in Ayodhya, Chhampat Rai, the Secretary of the Trust, briefed the media about the list of guests for the consecration ceremony. He emphasized that the list was carefully curated, including not only industrialists, scientists, actors, and military officers but also recipients of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. The guest list features prominent figures such as the spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Baba Ramdev, Gautam Adani of the Adani Group, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance, Natarajan Chandrasekaran of the Tata Group, S.N. Subrahmanyan of L&T Group, and renowned personalities like Rajinikanth and Madhuri Dixit.
Chhampat Rai mentioned that the list also includes Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Rama in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, and Krishna Bharadwaj, who played the role of Lord Krishna in the Mahabharata. Invitations have been extended to film director Madhur Bhandarkar, lyricist Prasoon Joshi, and several other film personalities. The list encompasses representatives of various traditions from every state in the country, including spiritual leaders, acharyas from different sects, and respected figures such as Baba Ramdev and Amma Amritanandamayi from Kerala.
Chhampat Rai informed that around four thousand saints representing diverse traditions from every state, as well as 125 religious leaders from different denominations, 13 mahants from various akhadas, six acharyas from different philosophies, and spiritual leaders ranging from Dalai Lama to Rahul Bodhi from Mumbai, have been invited. He mentioned that the list was prepared after careful consideration and includes individuals who were active in various fields, including sports, science, media, and experienced journalists from 1984 to 1992.
Regarding the security personnel deployed during the construction work, Chhampat Rai stated that retired officers from the Uttar Pradesh Police, including the then DGP, who were posted in Ayodhya in 1992, have also been invited as guests. Additionally, 25 officials from the RSS and 100 individuals from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have received invitations. Invitations have also been extended to 10-15% of the laborers involved in the construction work.
Chhampat Rai shared that the consecration ceremony will commence with the puja on January 16, and the actual "muhurat" is expected to be around noon on January 22, when the Prana Pratishtha ceremony will take place. The puja will continue for the next 48 days. Accommodation arrangements have been made for 1,000 people in Karsevakpuram and another 850 individuals in the residence of Nritya Gopal Das's Yoga and Nature Center. Additionally, residents of Ayodhya, temples, and ashrams will assist other guests in finding accommodation.
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