Representatives of tribal and forest-dwelling communities from Sonbhadra were invited as special guests for the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Ram temple.
The officials, while addressing the flag ceremony, asserted that “invited by the Shri Ram Mandir Trust, the visitors were given a grand welcome by the members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),” as cited by news agency PTI.
They further added that, “The Ram Mandir Trust has arranged for the accommodation of the guests at various locations across the holy city, ensuring all basic amenities.”
Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi, while briefing more about the event, said that the visitors expressed gratitude for the hospitality.
“While talking to the media, Tripathi asserted that, “They said that Lord Ram spent 14 years among forest-dwelling communities, and being part of this historic moment was a blessing for them.”
“The trust also arranged refreshments for the guests before ferrying them to the temple complex in electric vehicles,” Tripathi added.
Moreover, Raju Das, a priest at the Hanuman Garhi temple, further said that the trust has extended invitations to people from all sections of society.
Among the invitees was Iqbal Ansari, whose father, Hashim Ansari, was one of the original litigants in the Babri mosque case and has also been invited for the event.
Ansari, while talking to media after receiving the invitation, said that, “I am delighted to attend the programme,” as cited by PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist a saffron flag, 10 feet high and 20 feet long, bearing the image of a radiant sun symbolising Lord Ram`s valour, an `Om`, and the Kovidara tree atop a `shikhar` built in the traditional Nagara architectural style.
The ceremony is taking place on the auspicious Panchami of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Margashirsha, coinciding with the Abhijit Muhurat of Ram and Sita`s Vivah Panchami, a day signifying divine union, the prime minister`s office said in a statement on Monday.
In preparation for the grand flag hoisting ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple scheduled for November 25, the temple and the city were adorned with elaborate floral decorations, with around 100 tonnes of flowers used to make Ayodhya glow for the sacred event.
(With inputs from PTI)