Here Is Everything You Need To Know About Ayodhya Ram Mandir's Bhoomi Pujan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Mandir tomorrow (Wednesday, August 5) after which the construction of the temple will commence in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to spend around three hours tomorrow in Ayodhya. PM Modi and four other persons will be on the stage for the mega event organized in the middle of the country's fight against the coronavirus.The Prime Minister will leave Delhi by special flight tomorrow morning, and after reaching Lucknow, fly by chopper to Ayodhya, around 125 km away. The chopper will land at a helipad set up in a college in the Uttar Pradesh holy town on the banks of the river Saryu.

PM Modi's first visit will be to the Hanumangarhi temple, where he is expected to pray for 10 minutes. The PM will lay a 40-kg silver brick to symbolize the start of construction of the Ram Temple that is core to the ruling BJP's ideology and poll promises. A campaign for the temple marked the rise of the party to the national spotlight in the 1990s. Ahead of the ceremony, festivities have already begun in the city. Priests are seen performing 'aartis' and 'havans' and temples are being decorated with 'diyas'.

Everything you need to know about Ram Mandir's Bhoomi Pujan

- 175 eminent guests, including 135 seers belonging to as many spiritual traditions, would be present at the programme. Some eminent citizens of Ayodhya have also been invited, said the temple trust. Iqbal Ansari, a litigant in the decades-old temple-mosque dispute, was the first person to be invited. "I will certainly attend it. The dispute is over now after the court verdict," Mr Ansari said. His father Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the case, died in 2016.

- PM Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Sri Ram Janambhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust chairman Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and CM Yogi Adityanath will be present on stage.

- The city will be decorated with nearly 400 quintals of flowers for the 'bhoomi pujan' of the Ram Mandir on Wednesday. The blue 'aparajita' or Vishnukanta flowers, that are grown in the rural parts of Bengaluru, have been brought for the much-awaited occasion. The double-toned marigolds in orange and red are being brought in from Kolkata, while orchids are being imported from Thailand. About 600 kg of red and pink roses, 240 kg gerbera and 300 kg carnations are also being brought, reported IANS.

- The security has been beefed up for the ceremony. Champat Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said that unprecedented security arrangements have been made in the city. He said that the invitation letter carries a security code, which can be swiped only once. "The invitation card also has a serial number, which cops will cross-check at the entry. Thus, the card is non-transferable and can be used only once," a report said.

- Any electronic device, mobile or camera will be not permitted at the venue for the ceremony.The ceremony will be telecast live by national broadcaster Doordarshan.

- The muhurta for the ceremony is at 12.15 pm. Hence, all the guests are expected to be seated by 10:30 AM.

- According to Times Now, PM Modi will leave Delhi at 9:35 AM and land in Ayodhya at 11:30 AM for the 'bhoomi pujan'.

- Apart from the 'bhoomi pujan', PM Modi will also unveil a Rs 5 postal stamp with the new model of Ram Mandir to commemorate the event.

- The Ram Temple will be built after years of dispute over the 2.77 acre site where the 16th century Babri mosque stood before it was razed in 1992 by Hindu activists who believed it was built on the ruins of an ancient temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram.