Ayodhya: Near Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, some 1.5 km away from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, a group of artists gives finishing touches to a wall art.
The scene is one from the epic Ramayana, where Nishad king Guha meets Hindu deity Ram, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshman, during the trio’s 14-year exile from Ayodhya. The group working on the piece isn’t the only one who appears to be in the grip of a feverish hurry to finish their work.
The very city seems to be in countdown mode, as it prepares for the pran pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Mandir on 22 January, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many illustrious guests from the realms of politics, business, films, sports and literature and more.
The enthusiasm has reached crescendo pitch since the idol of Ram was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the newly-built temple’s sanctum sanctorum.
With just three days to go, the city looks transformed. Bright lights and selfie points greet visitors at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk and chants of “Jai Shri Ram” add a touch of piety.
Ayodhya seems wrapped in a happy, festive cloak. As ThePrint watches, a group of devotees burst into songs to the accompaniment of drums as they make their way to the temple. Folk artistes walk about dressed as Ram, Sita, or the Hindu deity and Ram devotee Hanuman.
Interspersed with the cutouts of Ram that dot the public spaces are hoardings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Opposition parties have accused the Bharatiya Janata Party in power at the Centre of using the temple consecration to leverage public opinion in its favour in this year’s upcoming general elections.
ThePrint brings brings glimpses of the action from Ayodhya.