Seers want grand Ram Temple ground breaking ceremony; Yogi reviews preparations ahead of PM's visit

With seers in Ayodhya pressing for the Ram Temple ground breaking ceremony on the 5th of August to be organised as a mega event, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday visited the temple town to review the preparations.

Prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to lay the foundation stone of the Temple in the presence of a large number of prominent saints, seers, and political dignitaries.

Adityanath, during his visit, paid obeisance at the makeshift Ram Temple and held meetings with the seers, office bearers of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Trust, which would be overseeing the construction work, and the district officials.

The chief minister also visited the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workshop and witnessed the carving of the stones to be used in the construction of the Ram Temple.

''We want the occasion to be a mega event....it will be a historic moment for all of us....it will give a big boost to turn Ayodhya into an international tourist centre,'' a seer associated with the Trust said.

Although it was not clear how many people would be invited to attend the ceremony, according to the sources the number could be anywhere between 150 to 200.

''Restrictions on mass gatherings are still in force....we will have to ensure social distancing also at the ceremony,'' said a senior district official in Ayodhya.

Sources said that the chief ministers of the states could also be invited to attend the ground breaking ceremony.

The ground breaking ceremony would start from the 3rd of August, and end with the laying of the foundation by Modi on the 5th of August, sources said.

Trust member Champat Rai said that he expected the Ram Temple to be completed within three to three-and-a-half years.