The Union Cabinet congratulates Modi on the dedication of the historic Ram Temple

The Union Cabinet praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for the historic and successful consecration of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, saying it realized a people’s long-standing ambition.

Reporters were informed by Union minister Anurag Thakur that as soon as the Cabinet convened, senior Cabinet member Rajnath Singh read out a resolution on behalf of his ministerial colleagues. PM Narendra Modi presided over a meeting of the cabinet. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh thanked the PM at the start of the meeting on behalf of the Cabinet for the successful Pran Pratishtha event, Thakur added.

Singh referred to the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday as momentous. He made reference to the consecration ceremony and said that since India’s Cabinet system was established, a number of significant events had occurred. Singh stated that because the job carried out under Modi is unmatched in history, such an event has never happened. He described the Monday temple dedication of the Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya as a historic occasion spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi.

According to Thakur, who quoted Singh, “the country’s body attained independence in 1947, but Pran Pratishtha of its soul was on January 22, 2024 [when the temple was inaugurated].”

“For the previous five centuries, you [Modi] have realized the age-old goal of Indian civilization. The only national movement in independent India that brought the whole country together was the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. The widespread support for Lord Ram marks the start of a new era and a new story, the speaker said.

On Monday, Modi inaugurated the temple at Ayodhya, resolving one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) primary election pledges and ending perhaps the most contentious controversy in Indian history.

Amidst a throng of thousands of esteemed Indian leaders, Modi led the event honoring the 51-inch black stone statue of the five-year-old deity, known as Ram Lalla. He gave an inspiring address that spanned over 40 minutes, fusing religion and politics to turn the sacred occasion into a turning point in the development of the country and to chart the future path of India.

Around 12.10 p.m. on a chilly winter’s day, Modi, carrying a silver “chattra,” or umbrella, for the deity, cantered up 32 steps to enter the temple. The 8,000 or so guests included prominent businessmen, athletes, politicians, movie stars, writers and journalists, and ascetics.

He passed through five “mandaps,” or halls, that were adorned with marigold and yellow flowers as “Jai Shri Ram” was being chanted. He accepted the vow for the consecration ritual while wearing a cream kurta, dhoti, and patka. He then presented the first prayers to the goddess.

This is a Ram-shaped shrine dedicated to national consciousness. As the audience erupted in cheers, he said, “Lord Ram is India’s faith, foundation, idea, law, consciousness, thinking, prestige, and glory.”

With its elaborately carved images of deities gracing its white marble walls, the temple is built in the ancient Nagara style. Measuring 380 feet in length and 250 feet in breadth, the highest spire is 161 feet high. The temple is situated on a 2.77-acre parcel of land that Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Ram. It was hidden behind the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy for 150 years prior to the Supreme Court’s historic decision in 2019. The temple is supported by 392 columns and is accessible via 44 doorways.

It is anticipated that the temple’s inauguration would propel Ayodhya to prominence among the Hindu religion’s centers of worship and bring in hundreds of thousands of followers annually. The government have invested ₹30,508 crore to renovate the centuries-old town in preparation for the surge of visitors to what is arguably India’s biggest temple dedicated to Ram.

For Hindu organizations, who have long maintained that the location is the birthplace of Lord Ram and saw the temple’s inauguration as a turning point in civilization, it represents an incredible victory. It is also a significant win for the BJP, which for thirty years has made the building of the Ram Temple one of its main electoral campaign pledges.