Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Reliance Industries announces holiday on January 22 for employees across India

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has declared a holiday for its employees across India on January 22, the day the idol of Ram Lala will be consecrated in the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani and his family are among those included in the select state guest list of invitees to the ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony on Monday.

While the Center has announced that all central government offices will remain closed for half a day on January 22, several state governments and educational institutions have also announced full or half-day holidays.

Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Maharashtra have declared a full-day holiday, while Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Odisha have declared a half-day holiday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22, which is expected to be opened to the public the next day.

Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai had told reporters that the consecration ceremony would begin at 12:20 pm and is expected to be completed by 1 pm. The rituals related to the consecration ceremony have already started at the temple.

The first image of the new Ram Lalla statue became public on Friday as anticipation grew for the consecration ceremony. According to the picture released by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the eyes of this statue made of black stone obtained from Karnataka are covered with a piece of yellow cloth and decorated with a garland of roses. Ram Lalla, Bal Ram, is in standing posture.

The new 51-inch idol, created by Mysore-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj, was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon, having been brought on a truck the previous night. The rituals at the temple started at 8:30 am on Friday and continued till 3:30 pm.