In a historic turn of events, the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya took place yesterday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals. Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Ayushmann Khurrana, along with filmmaker Rohit Shetty, reached the grand temple on Monday morning, ahead of the consecration event. Actors Ayushmann Khurana, Vivek Oberoi, Madhuri Dixit, Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, and Randeep Hooda, were also present, along with filmmakers Madhur Bhandarkar and Rajkumar Hirani.
Telugu actors Pawan Kalyan, Ram Charan, and Chiranjeevi, Tamil stars Rajinikanth and Dhanush were also part of the celebrity guest list. India's most prominent star, Shahrukh Khan, along with his counterparts Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, did not receive invitations to the event. The decision by the central government, leading to the Ram Temple consecration, has sparked attention. Surprisingly, there is no clear explanation as to why the three Khans, known for their close association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and frequent appearances at major national events, were excluded from what is considered the most significant event of the decade.
Interestingly, Aishwarya Rai was also missing from the guest list while her husband Abhishek attended the event. Deepika and Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Shilpa Shetty, and filmmaker Karan Johar were not invited either.
Prabhas, the new-age Rama, was not invited despite the presence of songs from the film Adipurush throughout the venue. Recent internet rumours circulated, alleging that Prabhas donated Rs 50 crore to the temple and would cover the event's food expenses. These speculations gained traction, especially when Andhra Pradesh MLA Chirla Jaggireddy asserted that the actor would indeed bear the food expenses at the inauguration. However, these rumours were later debunked as false.
Rajinikanth and Dhanush were the sole representatives from the Tamil film industry on the guest list. Notably, other prominent stars like Kamal Haasan, Vijay, Ajith, Suriya, Vikram, and Karthi were not included. In the Kannada film industry, Rishab Shetty was the lone presence from Sandalwood, with notable figures like Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Yash absent from the event. In the Malayalam industry, Mohanlal was the only actor to receive an invitation, but due to a scheduling clash, he couldn't attend. Surprisingly, his counterpart Mammootty was not invited to the event. The exclusions have sparked discussions, especially considering the usual presence of these celebrities at major national events.
The temple, under construction, will serve as the sacred dwelling place for Ram, one of the most revered deities in the Hindu pantheon, believed by Hindus to be born precisely at the Ayodhya site. Spanning nearly 3 hectares (7.4 acres), the temple is estimated to cost Rs 1800 crores. Crafted from pink sandstone and adorned with intricate carvings, the temple features 46 doors, with 42 of them embellished with a layer of gold. A 1.3-meter (4.25-foot) dark stone sculpture depicting Ram has been installed in the temple's inner sanctum for Monday's consecration. The religious ceremony of "Pran Pratishtha," symbolizing the infusion of life into the idol, will be conducted following Hindu Vedic scriptures. Subsequently, the deity will be able to receive and bless devotees.
Once the ceremony concludes, the temple will open to the public, anticipating approximately 100,000 devotees visiting daily, as per authorities.
