NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hoisted "Dharma Dhwaj" atop the Ram temple in Ayodhya, marking the formal completion of the temple’s construction.
PM Modi was joined by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the ceremony.
The specially designed flag, 22 feet long and 11 feet wide, has been crafted by a parachute specialist from Ahmedabad to withstand high-altitude conditions on the 161-foot temple summit. Weighing between two and three kilograms, the flag has been engineered for durability on the 42-foot flagpole.
The ‘Dharma Dhwaj’ carries three sacred symbols, Om, the Sun and the Kovidara tree, each representing core values of Sanatan Dharma.
Om signifies the eternal spiritual sound and cosmic vibration. The Sun symbol marks Lord Rama’s Suryavanshi lineage, invoking divine energy. The Kovidara tree, believed to be a hybrid of the Mandar and Parijat created by Rishi Kashyap, symbolises ancient knowledge and the continuity of sacred traditions.
The flag is scheduled to be hoisted during the Abhijit Muhurat on Vivah Panchami, considered auspicious in the Ramayana tradition.
A four-day "havan" has been under way in the Yagna Mandap ahead of the ceremony, with around 100 priests performing rituals.
Thousands of saints from eastern Uttar Pradesh and about 7,000 invitees reportedly attended the ceremony.
Residents said the hoisting of the "Dharma Dhwaj" marks not only the completion of the Ram Temple’s construction but also a moment of cultural pride for followers of Sanatan Dharma around the world.
Temple officials said the flag was hoisted during the "Abhijit Muhurat", a planetary alignment considered auspicious in Hindu tradition.
Champat Rai, general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, said the event marked the formal completion of the Ram temple’s construction. He added that the saffron colour of the flag symbolises fire and the rising sun, representing "sacrifice and dedication".
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