Ram Darbar Pran Pratishtha begins at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir today; CM Yogi leads ceremony on 53rd birthday

The second Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Darbar takes place today, June 5, at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya. The event begins at 11 am with Vedic chants and a havan, conducted on the temple’s first floor, where idols of Raja Ram, Mata Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman are installed. The consecration is organised by the Anjaneya Sewa Trust as part of a three-day ritual that starts on June 3 and ends today.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presides over the ceremony and performs the ritual unveiling of the eyes of Lord Ram and Sita’s idols. The event coincides with his 53rd birthday. The idols are sculpted from white marble in Jaipur and placed on a two-foot-high marble throne inside the Ram Darbar, which measures 4.5 feet in width. The temple architecture follows the Nagara style, with carved depictions of Hindu deities on the walls.

According to Shashikant Maharaj, president of Anjani Seva Sansthan, this consecration marks the reinstallation of Raja Ram, following the earlier Pran Pratishtha of the baal roop (child form) on January 22, 2024. He states that the present ceremony signifies the installation of the kingly form of Ram. Only a limited number of devotees are allowed on the first floor for sanctity, while the second floor displays Ramayana translations in multiple languages.

Around 62,000 boxes of prasad are dispatched from Lucknow for distribution on the occasion. The prasad is a special Barfi made from a mix of chickpeas and moong dal, as per Kshitij Gupta, Marketing Head of Chhappan Bhog. The deity’s attire is designed by Manish Tiwari, featuring bejewelled crowns, zari-embroidered robes, precious stones, and traditional fabrics.

Security arrangements are in place across Ayodhya, with deployment of CRPF, SSF, and PAC personnel. Verification processes are underway for residents of unauthorised settlements. Routine darshan for Ram Lalla continues as usual despite the Pran Pratishtha activities. Access to the temple is monitored and controlled to manage crowd flow during the final day of the three-day ceremony.