PM Modi hoists sacred saffron flag at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir during grand Dhwaj Arohan ceremony

PTC Web Desk:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hoisted a sacred saffron flag atop the newly completed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya during the traditional Dhwaj Arohan ceremony, marking another historic milestone in the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The ceremonial flag hoisting took place during the highly auspicious Abhijeet Muhurat, in the presence of saints, dignitaries and key members of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The event was held under tight security and carefully planned arrangements, with access limited to invited guests holding QR-based passes. The Prime Minister hoisted a 22-foot-long triangular saffron religious flag, intricately decorated with golden symbols, including the Sun, representing eternal power, divine radiance and enlightenment, often associated with Lord Ram; sacred symbol ‘Om’, signifying universal consciousness and the Kovidar tree, believed to be linked with episodes from Ramayana.

The flag now rests atop a 42-foot pole fixed on one of the mandir’s main shikhars, designed in the classical Nagara architectural style prevalent in northern India.

A ceremonial day of spiritual significance

The event coincided with Vivah Panchami, the day believed to commemorate the divine marriage of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the date also marks the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib ji, who is believed to have meditated in Ayodhya for 48 hours during the 17th century.

The rituals were led by 108 Acharyas from Ayodhya, Kashi  and southern parts of India, under the guidance of renowned scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid from Kashi. Vedic chants echoed throughout the temple premises as the flag was raised, symbolising spiritual completion and cultural revival.

Ahead of the ceremony, Ayodhya underwent extensive beautification. Roads were cleaned and polished, new traffic and stop signs were installed and sanitation teams were deployed across key routes.

The temple trust announced that nearly 6,000 guests were invited for the event, including spiritual leaders, political figures and notable public personalities.

Prime Minister Modi has closely been associated with key moments of the temple’s development. He laid the foundation stone on August 5, 2020, following the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict allocating the disputed 2.77-acre land for temple construction.

He later presided over the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, attended by national and international dignitaries.