Pran Pratishtha ceremony: Echo of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ reaches New York's Times Square

Hundreds of Indians on Monday gathered at New York City's Times Square to mark the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram in the grand Ayodhya temple. Chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ echoed in the Big Apple to celebrate the opening of the Ram Temple.

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, a Stanford University graduate, headed the crowd residing in Rishikesh for the last 30 years. The Indian diaspora at Times Square waved saffron flags and amped up the celebration with a dance performance.

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"Back home today, we have opened not just a Ram Temple but also a Rashtra Temple. It will stand as a temple of unity. This is the temple for which we waited for over 500 years," Sadhvi Saraswati said, addressing the crowd.

Meanwhile, in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ram Temple and unveiled the idol of Ram Lalla. He also sprinkled flowers on the idol of Jatayu at the Ram Temple premises and offered prayers to Lord Shiva in Ayodhya Dham. Army choppers were pictured showering petals on the temple as the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony unfolded.

“This is not just a moment of celebration for us all but also one to reflect the coming of age of the Indian society. This occasion is as much about triumph as it is about humility. The world is replete with instances of countries that faced a lot of difficulties resolving historic wrongs and injustices,” PM Modi said while addressing the dignitaries invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.