The Pran Pratishtha of the Vigraha of Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Ram at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya is going to complete one year on January 11, 2025. Last year on Paush Shukla Dwadashi, January 22, 2024, in the presence of RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, the ceremony of Pran Pratishtha of the Vigraha of infant Shri Ram was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it has already completed one year. Crores of Ram Lalla devotees struggled throughout the country to see this day. The long struggle went on not just on the streets but also in the courts. This can never be forgotten. But the long struggle and success of various programmes of Hindu awakening at different levels and the huge Hindu unity as a result paved the way for the construction of a grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Prolonged Legal Battle

A long legal battle was fought in the courts for the grand construction on the birthplace of Shri Ram in Ayodhya. Similarly, movements were organised on streets from time to time for awakening of masses. Shila Pujan programmes were organised all over the country in 1989. However, this was also strongly opposed by the then Congress-ruled Government and its allies. To protest this injustice, many Ram bhakts (devotees) went to court to get back their place of worship. The Supreme Court rejected the petition filed by Shri Tarkunde to ban the Shila Pujan Yatra and all the shilas were allowed to come to Ayodhya. This was followed by Ram Rath Yatra that was taken out from Somnath (Gujarat) to Ayodhya under the leadership of senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani in September 1990. The entire atmosphere of the country became Ramamaya (filled with Ram vibrations) due to the yatra. Before this, during the year 1982-83, Ekatmata Yatra was taken out from three places in the country and a distance of about 50,000 kilometers was covered. The first yatra started from Haridwar and was to reach Kanyakumari. The second yatra was to go from Pashupatinath Mandir in Kathmandu to Rameshwar Dham. While the third yatra was from Gangasagar in Bengal to Somnath. These three yatras were to enter Nagpur on a fixed day. The entire plan was prepared and we reached there before these yatras entered Nagpur. The whole planning and structure was readied by the senior Sangh pracharak the late Moropant Pingle. This information is being shared with the intention that everyone should recall the information of important events of the past.

• 476.1 million pilgrims visited Ram Mandir between January and September 2024

• More than 2 lakh pilgrims visited Ram Mandir on January 1, 2025 ( on New Year)

Reverence for Prabhu Among All

The above incidents show the awakening of faith and devotion towards Bhagwan Ram among the common people of the Hindus society in the country and all sections of the Hindu society who have expressed their faith belief by their direct participation in such programmes. It is well known that former Congress MP Kapil Sibal had strongly opposed this matter in the court. , this is not hidden from anyone. Regular hearing was done in the Supreme Court for 40 days, about 170 hours and on November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court gave its verdict in favour of Ram Janmabhoomi i.e. Ram Lalla.

After these events and conflicts on the streets and in the courts, Pran Pratishtha of Vigraha of Bhagwan Ram’s infant form Shri Ram Lalla in the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) of Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya was completed took place on Paush Shukla Dwadashi (Hindu Panchang Tithi – calendar date), January 22, 2024. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to celebrate this day every year as – Pratishtha Dwadashi. This year, this day has come tithi is falling on January 11, 2025. Hence according to the Hindu calendar date, on Paush Shukla Dwadashi, various religious rituals, Veda recitation, Mantra chanting, Ram Raksha Stotra, Vishnu Sahasranaam recitation etc. will be organised by the Trust in Ayodhya, in addition to the presentation of programmes by famous various musical events.

Eighteen Temples To Come Up

According to Champat Rai, General Secretary of Janmabhoomi Trust, the construction of eighteen mandirs is currently in progress in the temple complex. Among these, the construction of temples of Dashavatar, Sheshavatar, Nishadraj, Shabari, Ahalya, Sant Tulsidas, Shiva, Surya, Maa Durga, Maa Annapurna, Ganesh, Hanuman, etc. is going on rapidly within the rampart and its premises. He estimated that the construction work can possibly be completed by June 2025. For the convenience of pilgrims, Apollo Hospital has also started a 24-hour free emergency medical care centre in the underground part of the Shraddhaalu Suvidha Kendra building located in the temple complex.

With the inspiration and guidance of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu Parishad took the initiative and ran the Ram Janma Mukti movement under the leadership of great personalities like the head priests, Mahants of various religions, sects and monasteries of the Hindu society and various sections, languages, provinces, castes and components of the Hindu society have made their direct and active contribution to this movement. The Teerth Kshetra Trust, in the context of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, called for a door-to-door Akshat distribution campaign to be run across the country by the volunteers of the Sangh and various institutions and organisations of the society to invite people. About 44,98,334 persons including Swayamsevaks contacted a total of 199,84,9071 families of 5,78,778 villages and 4,727 cities of all the provinces in the door-to-door campaign run by Sangh from January 1 to 15, 2024. On the day of Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, 9,85,625 programmes were held at about 5,59,231 places across the country in which 27,81,54,665 people participated. They could not reach Ayodhya due to various reasons. These sampark abhiyans (contact campaigns) proved that the Hindu society is willing to be a part of re-awakening. The same feeling was seen during the temple reconstruction programme in Ayodhya. In every house, according to their capacity, the local people left no stone unturned in preparing for the hospitality of the guests coming from outside, and even made arrangements for tea, refreshments and food for every person. This scene was seen in the entire city of Ayodhya.

It is almost a year now since the Bhagwan Ram Lalla arrived in Ayodhya. In the meantime, business of small traders is also growing well and the income of shopkeepers is seeing a huge rise. Pilgrims take the murtis (idols) of Bhagwan Ram along with garlands and prasad to their homes from around the temples. Shopkeepers said that earlier, mandir models were sold in the temple but now after the installation of Ramlala pilgrims take the murtis of Shri Ram for the puja in their homes. Lakhs of devotees reach here every day. Naturally, as they go shopping in the markets here, the Uttar Pradesh State Government also gets a large amount of goods tax i.e. GST. A remarkable increase in the number of tourists has been recorded in the field of religious tourism for the last one year.

According to estimates, the number of pilgrims visiting the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is said to be many times more than the tourists visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra. Similarly, the number of trains to Ayodhya has increased significantly and all major superfast trains ply here. The new railway station of Ayodhya feels like an airport with all the modern facilities. Also, a new airport has been built at a short distance from Ram Mandir by the name Maharshi Valmiki International Airport which has now been connected to our major cities by air routes. A remarkable increase has also been seen in the number of flights in the last one year.

With the increasing number of pilgrims coming to Ayodhya, the hotel industry is growing rapidly too. Five star, three star hotels and small tourist centres have opened along with more new ones opening. The State Government sees a strong possibility of a huge increase in revenue through GST. Due to Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj from February 2025, the pilgrims coming from there will naturally come visit here to offer darshan of Bhagwan Ram and to see the newly reconstructed temple. This will definitely increase the number of devotees coming to Ayodhya.

The awakening seen in all sections of Hindu society before, and now after construction of Ram Mandir is, no doubt, a direct proof of the rise of Hindutva and preservation of Bharatiya culture across the country. Now wherever Hindus are attacked in the country, crores of Hindus show their unity and fight those crises collectively. It is evident that they will never tolerate injustice in future. Minority Hindus are being persecuted and their religious places attacked in Bangladesh. There is a strong anger reaction over it here in Bharat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan, Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai at such a crucial time has resonated with the people of the country.