Gutkha stains on Ram mandir wall? Litter, broken murals spark outrage ahead of flag hoisting ceremony

As the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is nearing completion, several pictures of the grand temple complex and the intricate carvings on its walls are being shared on social media by the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to build momentum for the flag hoisting ceremony scheduled for November 25.

While most of the pictures highlight the magnificence of the structure, a recent image shared by the Trust, which oversees the construction process, has sparked a row on social media. The picture purportedly shows gutkha stains on the walls of the temple and disposable cups lying around the murals.

"Exquisitely carved murals on the walls of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir depicting scenes from the divine life of Prabhu Shri Ram," Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust wrote on X posting pictures of the murals.

Netizens were quick to point out that on the wall behind the murals, a red stain was visible. "Why there is ghutka stains on the mandir wall? Is there no cctv to catch them? You built a sacred mandir still you are not able to make it clean. Shame on the trust. (sic)," a user commented.

What also caught users' eyes were littered disposable cups and the missing thumb of one of the murals.

"The site is not even opened to public and we already have stains and trash all over the place? Is this how we maintain temples in India?" wrote a user.

Some users also tagged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, demanding action action against the architect and the Trust. "Sir pls take action against this trust they ruining the aesthetic view of temple ,even so many faults in scripture broken finger, stain etc...who is the architect?"

In May this year, the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation had banned the sale of liquor and meat along the 14-kilometer stretch of Ram Path, while also prohibiting the advertisement of paan, gutkha, bidi, cigarette, and innerwear. The Ram temple is situated on the Ram Path.

A "Dhwajarohan" ceremony is scheduled for November 25 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest.