Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble arrive at Ram Temple in Ayodhya
Ayodhya/IBNS: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has arrived at the Ram Temple for its consecration in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya.
Along with Tendulkar, former India captain Anil Kumble too has arrived at the venue.
#WATCH | Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar arrives at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya to attend the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony#RamMandirPranPrathistha pic.twitter.com/72BLcxUnmp
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2024
"It's a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this," Kumble told ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the much-awaited consecration or pran pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple in the north Indian city of Ayodhya on Monday, a mega religious event which is seen by many as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's attempt to launch its campaign ahead of the national polls.
From celebrities to politicians and seers, Ayodhya is currently overwhelmed by people from far and wide places who hope to witness a watershed religious event that will mark the course of the nation in the coming months. Many of them arrived in private jets for the ceremony.
A majority of Hindus claimed that the site was the birthplace of Lord Ram before Muslim Mughals razed a temple at the spot to build the Babri Masjid.
#WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh | Veteran cricketer Anil Kumble says, "It is a wonderful occasion, a very divine occasion. Blessed to be a part of this. It's very historic. Looking forward to seeking blessings from Ram Lalla..." pic.twitter.com/zKodiqk1bG
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2024
In a landmark verdict in 2019, the Supreme Court handed over the land to the Hindu community and ordered to allot a separate plot to Muslims.
The temple site remained an issue of bitter contest between Hindus and Muslims with both the religious factions laying claim to it for nearly seven decades.
It also witnessed violence in 1992 when a mob destroyed a 16th-century mosque which stood at the site, which was built over a Hindu temple according to the court's final verdict.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.