Ram temple consecration updates | After centuries of waiting, our Ram has arrived: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Kuber Tila on the Ram temple premises in Ayodhya and offered worship to Lord Shiva there.

He performed ‘jalabhishek’ (offering water on the ‘Shiva linga’) and also did a ‘parikrama’ (circumambulation) of the temple.

The ancient Shiv temple located on the Kuber Tila in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex is also being renovated by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which is constructing the Ram temple.

- PTI

A book on Ayodhya, a metal ‘diya’, a special ‘mala’ and a scarf bearing the name of Lord Ram are among the items that have been gifted to the guests who attended the consecration ceremony at the temple here on Monday.

The gifts were in a bag that had a graphic image of the new temple and of Lord Ram in a very young avatar.

The book is titled ‘Ayodhya Dham - The Lord’s Abode’ which also carries the image of the old idol of Ram Lalla on its cover.

The ‘mala’ has come up with a fabric pouch that bears ‘Uttar Pradesh Tourism’ and its tagline.

The guests also received a box of four laddoos, chips, revdi, cashew nuts and raisins.

- PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol in the Ayodhya temple, and said he has the blessings of Lord Ram.

Mr. Singh described the event in Ayodhya as a “revolutionary work” and said those who witnessed this moment are fortunate.

- PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called upon people to reaffirm their commitment to the secular credentials of the nation and its Constitution by declining to be a part of the inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.

In his message, released soon after the inauguration of the temple at Ayodhya, Mr. Vijayan expressed his concern that of late, the line that demarcates religion and State seemed to be getting thinner.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal participated in the ‘bhandaras’ organised in different parts of the national capital.

Taking to X, he shared a few pictures where he could be seen worshipping at a temple and later participating in the bhandaras. Bhandaras are a community-wide food distribution programme organised on special or auspicious occasions.

In another post on his X timeline, Mr. Kejriwal congratulated and offered his best wishes to all on this sacred occasion.

- ANI

The temples across Uttarakhand resonated with devotional songs dedicated to Lord Ram as the consecration ceremony progressed in Ayodhya.

‘Shobha yatras’ (religious processions) were taken out and ‘bhandaras’ organised in various parts of the State capital on the occasion.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami began his day by reciting the verses of Ramcharitmanas at a temple within the premises of his official residence ahead of the consecration ceremony.

The Chief Minister then reached a cowshed located on the premises of his official residence and offered his service to the “gau mata”.

- PTI

This grand Ram temple will become a witness to India’s progress, India’s rise.

This grand Ram temple will become a witness to the emergence of a grand India, a developed India.

Today in Ayodhya, not only has the idol Ram been consecrated. This is also the lifeblood of unwavering faith in Indian culture as manifested in the form of Shri Ram. It is also the embodiment of human values and highest ideals.

This temple is not just a temple of god.

This is the temple of India’s vision, India’s philosophy, India’s direction. This is a temple of national consciousness in the form of Ram.

Ram temple’s construction reflection of Indian society’s maturity; it’s an occasion of not merely triumph but humility too. 

Lord Ram is connected to every particle of the soul of India, says PM Modi following the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya. 

Ram resides in the hearts of Indians, he adds. 

Today, Kirtan and Sankirtan are taking place simultaneously in every village.

Today festivals are being organized in temples, cleanliness campaigns are being run.

The whole country is celebrating Diwali today.

This evening, preparations are being made to light the Ramjyoti in every house.

After centuries of waiting, our Ram is here, says PM Modi after the consecration ceremony.

Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent, he will now stay in this divine temple, he adds. 

Jan 22, 2024 is not merely a date but marks advent of a new era, PM Modi says.

“I seek forgiveness from Lord Ram, there would have been some shortcomings in our penance that we could not complete this work for so long. That shortcoming has been overcome. I am confident Lord Ram would forgive us,” Mr. Modi said.

“Our Ram has arrived today after wait, patience, sacrifices of centuries,” he said.

I am given the task of talking sense amidst the talks of passion, said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya.

Mr Bhagwat said that India will soon become a nation that helps entire world in times of crisis.

- Ishita Mishra

Today, the whole of India is overwhelmed with emotions on the historic and extremely sacred occasion of the consecration of the idol of Lord Shri Ram Lalla, which came after a long gap of 500 years, Uttar Pradesh CM Ygi Adityanath said.

Today, the soul is joyous with the fact that the temple has been built at the place where we had resolved to build it.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that through the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the “soul of a civilization” has found expression once again in the world.

Taking to social media platform X, Mr. Jaishankar said, “At the Pran Pratishtha ceremony today, the soul of a civilization finds expression once again. And the message of virtue, honour, justice and commitment reverberates around the world.”

- ANI

Fifty traditional musical instruments from across the country were part of a devotional “Mangal Dhwani” that resonated during the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Orchestrated by Ayodhya’s celebrated poet Yatindra Mishra, the grand musical rendition was supported by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

The instruments included pakhawaj, flute and dholak from Uttar Pradesh, veena from Karnataka, algoja from Punjab, sundari from Maharashtra, mardala from Odisha; santoor from Madhya Pradesh, pung from Manipur, nagada and kali from Assam; and tambura from Chhattisgarh.

There was also shehnai from Delhi, ravanahatha from Rajasthan, shrikhol and sarod from West Bengal, ghatam from Andhra Pradesh, sitar from Jharkhand, santar from Gujarat, pakhawaj from Bihar, hudka from Uttarakhand and nagaswaram, tavil and mridangam from Tamil Nadu.

- PTI

The consecration of the Ram idol at the new temple in Ayodhya complete. 

The bigger statue is an Achal statue (which can’t move)

The old and smaller ones are chal statues, which will be used for processions and celebrations.

The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the newly constructed temple here on Monday amid grand celebrations in the town, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals.

The Prime Minister walked inside the temple premises with a silver ‘chattar’ (umbrella) placed on a red folded dupatta.

Dressed in a golden kurta teamed up with a cream dhoti and patka, he took ‘sankalp’ for the “pran pratishtha ceremony” and later moved to the sanctum sanctorum for the rituals.

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present inside the sanctorum during the rituals.

Devotees and guests chanted ‘Jai Sri Ram’ as the ceremony was held. 

Army helicopters showered flower petals on the temple premises when the consecration took place. 

PTI

The consecration of the Ram Lalla idol at Ayodhya temple is taking place, and PM Modi is at the ceremony. 

Consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya is an extraordinary and emotional moment, Mr. Modi said. It’s a matter of great privilege to be a part of this divine programme, he added. 

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived at the newly constructed Ram temple.

Mr. Modi took ‘sankalp’ for the consecration ceremony at Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Madras High Court held a special sitting at around 9:30 am, on Monday, January 22, 2024, an hour before the beginning of its working hours, and recorded the submission of the Tamil Nadu police that its permission is not required to play bhajans, offer Annadhanam or live stream of Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at private temples, mandapams or other such places. 

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh heard an urgent writ petition in his chambers and recorded the submission of Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) A. Damodharan that the organisers just need to inform the police about the event so that an adequate force could be deployed for crowd control measures. The police would impose restrictions only in sensitive places to maintain law and order, the judge was told. 

Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambhara exchange hugs at the consecration ceremony. Both of them were charged by the CBI in the Babri Masjid demolition case, along with several prominent BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders including L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, and Vishnu Hari Dalmiya. All of them were acquitted by a special court on September 30, 2020.

A bevy of Indian cinema stars, including Amitabh Bachchan and Chiranjeevi and couples Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif, on Monday reached Ayodhya to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

Filmmakers Rohit Shetty, Rajkumar Hirani, actors Ayushmann Khurrana, Madhuri Dixit Nene along with her husband Sriram Nene and producer Mahaveer Jain also arrived in the temple town as part of the contingent from the Indian film industry to take part in the grand event.

Hema Malini, Rajinikanth, Pawan Kalyan, Shankar Mahadevan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Subhash Ghai, Shefali Shah, Vipul Shah, Randeep Hooda, Lin Laishram, Aadinath Mangeshkar, Anu Malik and Sonu Nigam were among those who arrived in the temple town on Sunday.

Ayodhya’s Ram Temple has been central to the imagination of the Hindu rashtra, but the spotlight is also on several other sacred locations and pilgrimage networks. Cultural resources that were once deployed in pursuit of a composite nationalism are now repurposed in the service of a Hindu political order. 

Read this article by Vargheshe K. George on the great temple revival

A photo exhibition, spanning from 1528 to 2024, has been put on display at the Nizam College ground in Hyderabad. 

The ground is hosting a live screening of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ayodhya on Monday for the consecration ceremony at the newly constructed Ram temple.

The Prime Minister landed at the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport and will head to the helipad from there. Modi will then go to the Ram temple where he will take part in the “pran pratishtha” ceremony.

He will later address a gathering after the ceremony. 

Senior BJP leaders gathered on Monday in various temples to watch the Pran Pratishta in Ayodhya amidst fanfare. 

Home Minister Amit Shah is watching the ceremony from Birla Mandir, New Delhi. TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda arrive at the Ram Temple for the consecration ceremony. 

-Nistula Hebbar, The Hindu

A 2015 National Award-winning master craftsperson, Mr. Ishwar Meher has worked on a sari depicting Ram Setu (bridge) with handwoven cotton yarn for five months, using natural dyes extracted from flowers, jaggery, gram flour, iron rust, and indigo. 

The sari will now be showcased at the Jagannath Temple in Delhi on January 22, since Hindus believe Ram is one of the 10 avatars of Jagannath. 

Read more here...

A multi-layer security cover is in place in Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple, with 10,000 CCTV cameras and drones equipped with artificial intelligence keeping an eye on the movement of people and police personnel in plain clothes deployed at the venue.

From Dharam Path and Ram Path here, which are witnessing a huge influx of devotees, to bylanes of the Hanumangarhi area and Asharfi Bhavan road, policemen can be seen patrolling the streets. Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) personnel had also conducted patrolling in Ayodhya on Saturday. 

To ensure better security arrangements at the programme venue in Ayodhya, technology is being used on a large scale.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said January 22 will be etched in history as a defining moment of ‘tryst with divinity’ in India’s civilisational trajectory.

He also extended greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he is set to lead the sacred rituals of the consecration ceremony of ‘Ram Lalla’ in Ayodhya in the presence of other ‘yajmans’ and saints.

“Gratifying to witness celebratory moment marking reawakening of national pride all over. January 22 is etched in history as a defining moment of ‘tryst with divinity’ in our civilisational trajectory,” the vice president posted on X. 

From 1858, when the first recorded claim to the birthplace of Lord Ram was made, to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya to be held today.

Here’s a timeline of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement

BJP veteran and one of the leaders who remained at the forefront of the Ram Janambhoomi movement, L.K. Advani, is not attending Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya, according to sources. 

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Chief Priest Acharya Satyendra Das on Monday said that with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Ram Rajya will begin and all the inequalities will be over. 

“From today, Ram Rajya will begin with Pran Pratishtha. All the inequalities will be over. Everyone will behave with love. From Ayodhya, the change that will come to the entire country and it will be very beautiful. And everyone will live in harmony. We will live with goodwill. Lord Ram’s blessing will fall on everyone,” said Acharya Satyendra Das.”...Everything is happening very well. What Ram Bhakts wanted, is getting fulfilled today...As soon as Ram Lalla is seated...all difficulties will end...” added the priest. 

ANI

Ahead of the Ram Temple Pran Prathistha ceremony in India on Monday, the Indian diaspora illuminated Times Square with the picture of Lord Ram in New York and chanted Shree Ram Bhajans and songs to showcase the cultural heritage and vibrancy of their home country. 

Indians in the U.S. sang the Ram Bhajan at the Hindu Temple of Minnesota ahead of the ceremony. 

Meanwhile, celebrations were also organised by Ram Janmabhoomi Sthapna Samiti in Trinidad and Tobago in association with Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir and the Indian diaspora. 

The excitement around the ceremony is palpable in the U.K. There are about 250 Hindu temples in the U.K. and all of them are gearing up for the celebration. 

Queretaro, a city in Mexico, got its first Lord Ram temple on Sunday. The temple was inaugurated after the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony was performed by an American priest with Mexican hosts and the idols brought from India. The ceremony was held amidst hymns and songs chanted by the Indian diaspora which reverberated throughout the venue. 

ANI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the consecration ceremony. “Hearty welcome and greetings to the respected Prime Minister of the country, Shri Narendra Modi ji, the architect of cultural renaissance in ‘New India’, at Shri Ayodhya Dham,” wrote the U.P. CM on X. 

Mr. Modi will arrive at 10:30 AM in Ayodhya. 

-Mayank Kumar, reporting for The Hindu, from Ayodhya.

Army helicopters will shower flowers on Ayodhya and 30 artists will play different Indian musical instruments at the temple premises at the time of Aarti at Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Pran Pratishtha day, according to Temple Authorities.Temple authorities also say that all the guests will be given bells which they will be ringing during the Aarti. 

ANI

Five lakh laddus prepared at the Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain city have reached Ayodhya ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony on Monday, an official said.

The laddus, weighing about 50 gm each, will be distributed to devotees as prasad on the occasion, he said.

Five trucks, shaped like chariots, decorated in saffron and adorned with pictures of Lord Ram, reached Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh with 250 quintals of laddus at around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, Mahakaleshwar temple’s assistant administrator Moolchand Junwal told PTI.

“On Sunday morning, we handed over the prasad to the organisation tasked to distribute it to the faithful,” he said.

People greeted the consignment with “Jai Shri Ram” chants along the nearly 1,000 km route from Ujjain to Ayodhya, according to eyewitnesses.

At least 150 temple staffers and people from social organisations were involved in making the laddus over five days in Ujjain, Mr. Junwal said. 

PTI

Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Monday conveyed his greetings to people in India ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and expressed his wish to soon visit the temple.

”Hearty greetings to the people of India on this auspicious occasion of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha. This is a historic moment for devotees across the world,” the Israeli ambassador wrote on ‘X’.

”I look forward to seeing Ram Mandir in Ayodhya soon; Surely it will be more grand and beautiful than this model I have,” Mr. Gilon further wrote while sharing a picture of him with a miniature model of the Ram Mandir.

As the Pran Pratistha of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Mandri is set to be held in Ayodhya this afternoon and the door to the temple opened, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani hopes it will be the gateway to enlightenment and peace, binding the communities with the timeless threads of India’s spiritual and cultural harmony.

”On this auspicious day, as the Ayodhya Mandir’s doors open, let it be a gateway to enlightenment and peace, binding the communities with the timeless threads of Bharat’s spiritual and cultural harmony,” Gautam Adani wrote on his X timeline on Monday morning. 

Anticipation peaks as the day of the grand occasion of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya arrives. The excited crowd, singing and dancing to the tune of Ram bhajans, could be seen in every part of the holy city as the Pran Pratishtha ceremony is about to begin today. 

Folk artists were seen performing outside the temple. “I’m here to witness the historic Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla. I’m so happy and consider myself blessed,” said one of the attendees at the ceremony. 

People of the Hindu community across the globe are gearing up for grand celebrations, showcasing their unbridled enthusiasm and reverence for this historic occasion.

ANI

Ahead of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony today, a former litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, Iqbal Ansari, said that the dispute over Ram Temple has ended completely, adding that whatever may have been the struggle, today has become the day of the people.

”All deities of all religions reside in the city of Ayodhya. Pran Pratishtha is going to take place today. This is the beginning of the Mandir...Whatever may have been the struggle, today has become the day of the people. Now people should visit and see whatever is there in Ayodhya; they should follow the path shown by God Ram,” said Iqbal Ansari. 

“We are very happy that we have been invited. We will be welcoming the guests of Ayodhya,” added Mr. Ansari.

Indian stock exchanges are closed Monday on the occasion of Pran Pratistha of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, with normal trading activities to resume on Tuesday.

The next financial market holiday is on January 26 for Republic Day celebrations.

Hours before the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed saints and religious leaders who have arrived at the holy city for the grand event.

”Hearty welcome and greetings to the revered saints and religious leaders coming from all over the country and the world for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the new idol of Shri Ram Lalla in the Prabhu Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple located in Shri Ayodhya Dham. Your dignified presence in Shri Ayodhya Dham will further strengthen our commitment towards ‘Ramrajya’,” the Chief Minister said in a post on ‘X’ on Monday. 

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar are among India’s crème de la crème who have been invited as state guests for the consecration of the Ram temple.

While about 8,000 people are in the long list of invitees, the select list features 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges and high priests. 

Mr. Bachchan, along with his son, left for Ayodhya on Monday morning to attend the ceremony. 

Apart from them, actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khurrana also left for Ayodhya on Monday morning to attend the grand ceremony.

Read more on this here...

The magnificent 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. 

PTI

The idol of infant Ram by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj that will adorn the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at Ayodhya has been chiseled out of a three billion year old rock. 

The rock was taken from an active quarry in Guggegowdanapura in Mysuru district and similar rocks are found in other parts of India as well, said Dr. Srikantappa of Department of Earth Sciences, University of Mysore.

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Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust announced on Sunday that the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony will be marked by a dazzling musical event titled ‘Mangal Dhwani’. 

The soiree, featuring some of the biggest names in the world of music, will be staged at 10 a.m.

Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya Dham is being held on January 22, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ as per prescribed rituals. 

The “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony will begin at 12:20 p.m. and is expected to end by 1 p.m. The Prime Minister will then address a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, at the venue. 

Find below the details of the ceremony. 

10:45 a.m.: Arrival at Ayodhya helipad

10:55 a.m.: Arrival at Ram Janmabhoomi site

11 a.m.-12 p.m.: Reserved

12:05-12:55 p.m.: ‘Pran Pratishtha’ rituals begin

12:55 p.m.: PM Modi to leave the consecration ceremony venue

1 p.m.: Arrival at a public ceremony

1 p.m.- 2 p.m.: PM Modi to attend a public event in Ayodhya

2:10 p.m.: Visit to Kuber Teela

Read more here.

On the eve of the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, President Droupadi Murmu, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the celebratory atmosphere across the country was an “uninhibited expression of the eternal soul of India”.

“As you [Mr. Modi] prepare yourself to go for Pran Pratishtha of Prabhu Shri Ram’s murti (idol) at the new temple built at his birthplace in Ayodhya, I can only contemplate the unique civilisational journey that will be accomplished with each step taken by you in the hallowed precincts,” Ms. Murmu wrote. 

Hundreds of Muslims living in Ayodhya town are worried despite the Uttar Pradesh government’s repeated assurance that it will maintain peace and security in the area on the date of the consecration ceremony and afterwards, amid a likely influx of devotees.

A local Muslim organisation submitted a petition to local authorities demanding strict security and vigil in localities with sizeable Muslim populations as well as other parts of Ayodhya which witnessed communal violence after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. 

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The temple town of Ayodhya was decked with flowers, serenaded with bhajans, and covered with a multi-layered security blanket on the eve of the pran pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, to be held at the Ram Mandir on January 22.

In the culmination of a decades-long religious and political movement to restore the worship of Lord Ram in a new temple at what is considered his birthplace, the rituals to consecrate the idol are expected to begin at 12:20 p.m. in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and almost 8,000 invited guests, and will be watched by lakhs of devotees via live telecast across the country and the world. The shrine will be opened to the public a day later.

Read the full story here

Ahead of the Ram Temple’s consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has shared a glimpse of how the temple looks from space. The space agency’s Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) has processed an image taken on December 16, 2023 from Cartosat, an Indian remote sensing satellite, which was shared by ISRO.

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Invitees to the “Pran Pratishtha” consecration ceremony at the Ram temple started arriving on January 21 in Ayodhya — once a sleepy town now resplendent with new infrastructure and gripped by heightened religious fervour on the eve of a seminal event in India’s political and religious history.

The town, about 140 km west of Lucknow, was bedecked with multi-coloured flowers as recordings of ‘Ram dhun’ played from loudspeakers and townsfolk dressed as Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman paraded down the streets followed by delirious devotees, and news camera crews.

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