Laddoos are being distributed by the members of Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir at Times Square ahead of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

New York: Members of Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir at Times Square distributed laddoos are  ahead of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony, that is scheduled to take place later today. Prem Bhandari, Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir said, “We never thought that we would witness this day in this lifetime. Soon Ayodhya’s Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony will take place. People in Times Square are also celebrating this. All this is taking place under the leadership of PM Modi… People across the world are eager for this moment…”

“Lord Ram is returning after ‘vanvaas’ (exile) and all this is taking place due to the leadership of PM Modi. He has made the whole atmosphere in ‘Rammay’ across the world. He has connected not just 140 crore people but the Indian diaspora abroad too with this event. This day is no less than Diwali,” he further added.

#WATCH | New York, US: Laddoos distributed by the members of Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir at Times Square ahead of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony, later today. pic.twitter.com/FjRGCE7a91

— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2024

The United States is gearing up for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, a historic occasion that will be celebrated with almost a dozen events planned across the country. From New York Times Square to Boston, and from Washington, DC to Los Angeles and San Francisco, events are lined up to coincide with the ceremony in India.

In anticipation of the ceremony, billboards have been put up in various states including Texas, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Georgia. The visual celebration began on January 15 and is organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), US chapter, in collaboration with Hindus from all over the country. More than 40 billboards have been erected in 10 states and beyond, displaying the message of the grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the birthplace of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.

The temple town of Ayodhya is all set to welcome Lord Ram with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to participate in the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram Mandir on Monday. The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the idol of Ram Lalla — the childhood form of Lord Ram — will be attended by people from all walks of life, including representatives of major spiritual and religious sects of the country, representatives of various tribal communities and prominent personalities.

The ceremony will begin at 12:20 pm, and according to the temple’s trust, it is expected to end by 1 pm. Following this, the prime minister will address the gathering.

The Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir or Ram temple has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its length (east-west) is 380 feet; width 250 feet and height 161 feet. It is supported by a total of 392 pillars and has 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods and goddesses. In the main sanctum sanctorum at the temple’s ground floor, the idol of Ram Lalla has been placed.

The consecration rituals for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ started from the Saryu river on January 16 and will be completed on Monday afternoon in the ‘abhijeet muhurta’, according to the trust.