An image of Lord Ram has been made on a 15000 square foot plot using 2.3 lakh 'diyas' in Latur in Maharashtra to mark the idol consecration of the deity's temple in Ayodhya on January 22.
The image, which was made by more than 100 artists between January 14 and January 19, was unveiled on Friday evening by local MP Sudhakar Shrangare.
He said, on the day of the idol consecration, flowers will be showered on the image from a helicopter, while giant screens will beam the Ayodhya event live.A 'havan' (fire ritual) was also held on Friday between 12 noon and 6pm, he said.
Civic body in Thane district appeals meat shops to remain shut on Jan 22
Meanwhile, A municipal corporation in Maharashtra's Thane district has appealed to all meat shops under its jurisdiction to remain shut on January 22 when the consecration ceremony will be held at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Administrator and municipal commissioner of the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation, Ajay Vaidya, has made the appeal and sought cooperation from shopkeepers.
In a statement issued on Friday, Vaidya said the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram's idol will be held on January 22. On this occasion, celebrations are planned throughout Bhiwandi.
Following a review meeting held on Thursday involving police officials, civic administration, and the local peace committee, it was unanimously decided that all shops selling mutton, chicken and fish in Bhiwandi should remain closed on that day. Therefore, this appeal has been made, it said.
Earlier, the gram panchayat of the communally-sensitive Padgha village in Thane district appealed to the locals to close shops selling non-vegetarian foods and liquor on January 22.
Padgha in Bhiwandi tehsil was in news last year because of the raids conducted by the National Investigation Agency as part of its probe into the Islamic State and other terror modules in the country.
The gram panchayat letter, signed by the village sarpanch, said it was making a "fervent request" that shops selling mutton, chicken, fish and liquor should remain closed on January 22, and the occasion of 'pran-pratishtha' at the Ayodhya temple should be celebrated by decorating homes and lighting lamps.
The Maharashtra government on Friday announced a public holiday on January 22 on the occasion of the Ram temple consecration ceremony.
The Centre has already announced that all its offices, institutions and industrial establishments throughout India will have a half-day holiday for the ceremony.
