The construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya begun today and the first bricks will be laid for its foundation.
According to a report by Times Now, the construction in Ayodhya started after an elaborate 'Rudra Abhishek' ceremony held at the Kuber Tila temple on Wednesday morning to mark the beginning of temple construction.
Led by Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, spokesperson for Mahant Nritya Gopal Das (who is the president of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust), about 25 priests participated in the rituals.
The ''Rudra Abhishek'', according to the Mahant, was held to appease Lord Shiva and seek his protection from any obstacles that may come in the way of temple construction.
The preliminary work on the temple site will begin now though the actual construction will start much later. In view of the Corona crisis, plans to hold a grand ''bhumi pujan'' ceremony have been put off for now.
In March, the Ram Lalla deity was ceremoniously moved to a new spot from the makeshift temple at the site, clearing the way for the construction of the temple. On May 11, earth-moving machinery was deployed for levelling the site.
The 16th-century Babri mosque that stood on the disputed site in Ayodhya was demolished in 1992 by kar sevaks claiming that originally there was a Ram temple at the same spot.
(Inputs from IANS)
