The Ram Mandir on Monday will be inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, said to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, amid much grandeur. The actual ‘muhurata’ or auspicious timing for the consecration of the Ram Mandir  lasted for 84 seconds.

Today marked the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, a ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who presided over the rituals. The newly consecrated Ram Lalla idol now graces the 161-feet tall pink sandstone shrine, a centerpiece of the hour-long ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony.

Arriving at the Ram Mandir, Prime Minister Modi, decked in a golden kurta and cream dhoti, shared his delight in being part of this “divine program.”

In a gathering at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya post the consecration, he declared that Lord Ram will “no longer be in a tent but will now call a magnificent temple home.”

“Today, our Ram has arrived. After centuries of anticipation, our Ram is finally here,” Prime Minister Modi announced.

“Our Ram has arrived today after enduring centuries of waiting, patience, and sacrifices,” he conveyed to the assembly of around 7,000 saints, political leaders, industrialists, film stars, and sportspersons.

“It is by Ram’s supreme blessings that we are fortunate to witness this moment,” he added.