AYODHYA: A grand religious ceremony dedicated to women’s participation and spiritual strength will be held on May 29 at the newly constructed Durga Mandir inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya. The Dharma Dhwaja (religious flag) will be ceremonially hoisted at the temple by Sadhvi Rithambara as part of the ongoing consecration activities taking place in the temple complex. The event has been specially dedicated to “Matrushakti” or women power by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
Keeping in view the theme of Matrushakti, more than 3,500 women from different religious, social, and cultural organizations have been invited to attend the ceremony. The guests include representatives and senior office bearers from organisations such as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishva Hindu Parishad, Durga Vahini, BJP women’s groups, and several other women led associations.
The programme is scheduled to begin at 6 PM near the Durga Mandir which is located at the north-western corner of the Parakota (periphery) of the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. Guests can start to enter the venue from 5 PM only through special passes issued by the trust. As per information, more than 4,000 chairs are likely to be arranged for attendees.
After the flag hoisting ceremony, all invited guests will also be given an opportunity to visit and offer prayers at the mandir of Ram Lalla along with the murtis of Ram Parivar. The authorities have also clarified that regular darshan for devotees will continue uninterrupted during the programme.
The Durga Mandir is the sixth supplementary shrine constructed within the Ram Mandir complex and the final one to receive the ceremonial flag installation within the Parakota area. Earlier, similar ceremonies were completed at the mandirs dedicated to Maa Annapurna, Surya Dev, Hanuman, Ganesh, and Bhagwan Shiva. Another remaining shrine, the Sheshavatar Mandir, is expected to hold its own flag hoisting ceremony on June 23.
Preparations for the event are currently in full swing and invitation distribution is nearly complete. Initially, the trust had planned to invite around 2,000 women, but the number later increased to over 3,500 due to growing participation from various organizations and institutions. Women officers and staff members associated with security and construction agencies working at the Ram mandir complex have also been invited. These include personnel from the police, PAC, SSF, CRPF, LIU, and officials from agencies such as Larsen & Toubro, Tata Consulting Engineers, UPRNN, and EIL. According to mandir management officials, no guest will be allowed to carry weapons or bring personal security guards inside the venue. The arrangements are being managed under strict security protocols to ensure smooth conduct of the programme. Several prominent women leaders and religious personalities are also expected to attend the ceremony as special guests. These include Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Meenakshi Tai Pishwe, Pragya Mahala, Pinki Pawar, Avani Rajput, Seema Jadaun, and Sarita Yadav among others.
