The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on January 22, to observe the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The decision follows a formal request made by state Cabinet minister and BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Initially, the state general administration opposed the request, stating that a public holiday cannot be declared for such programmes as there is no precedence. However, the request was submitted to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office for approval.
Ram The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on January 22, to observe the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The decision follows a formal request made by state Cabinet minister and BJP leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Initially, the state general administration opposed the request, stating that a public holiday cannot be declared for such programmes as there is no precedence. However, the request was submitted to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office for approval.
The Eknath Shinde-led government’s decision echoes the instructions from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa governments, which declared government offices and educational institutes in these states will be closed.
Private sector banks will remain open as per the Reserve Bank of India’s holiday list, designating it as a working day.
These BJP-led states have also imposed bans, including a prohibition on the sale of liquor or meat and fish to observe the mega event in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, in Tripura, all offices and educational institutions across the state will remain closed until 2:30 pm on January 22.
With limited invitees, Ram Mandir will be inaugurated in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other leaders, celebrities and noted personalities. Thousands of seers from across the country have been invited for the ceremony and the invitees also include families of the labourers who erected the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The preparations in the temple town are in full swing with ceremonies that began on January 16. Notably, the Ram Lalla idol has been installed inside the sanctum sanctorum as part of rituals in the run-up to the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir.
Ram Mandir Inauguration ceremony: Preparations are in full swing for the Ayodhya Ram MandirPran Patishtha (Consecration) ceremony on January 22, 2024. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ram temple in Ayodhya and will also be the chief guest of the event. According to media estimates, the consecration ceremony would be attended by more than 7,000 people, including politicians, film personalities, prominent industrialists among others.
Schools across the country in various states, have declared a holiday on the day of Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. The Union government also declared a ‘half-day’ closing of all central government offices, central institutions and other central industrial establishments on January 22, for allowing employees to celebrate the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. The official circular states that working hours would resume at 2:30 PM on the day.
In a related development, the Bar Council of India has also put forth an appeal to the Chief Justice of India, requesting for closure of all courts across the country, marking the oaccasion of Ram Mandir Inauguration on January 22. Senior advocate and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra wrote in his letter, stating “As you are aware, the inauguration of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is set for January 22, 2024. This event has enormous religious, historical, and cultural significance for millions of people across the country, marking the realisation of a long-awaited dream and the culmination of legal proceedings that have been pivotal in defining the nation’s structure.”
Here’s a look at the list of states where an official holiday has been declared.
Ram Mandir Inauguration ceremony: Preparations are in full swing for the Ayodhya Ram MandirPran Patishtha (Consecration) ceremony on January 22, 2024. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Ram temple in Ayodhya and will also be the chief guest of the event. According to media estimates, the consecration ceremony would be attended by more than 7,000 people, including politicians, film personalities, prominent industrialists among others.
Schools across the country in various states, have declared a holiday on the day of Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. The Union government also declared a ‘half-day’ closing of all central government offices, central institutions and other central industrial establishments on January 22, for allowing employees to celebrate the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. The official circular states that working hours would resume at 2:30 PM on the day.
In a related development, the Bar Council of India has also put forth an appeal to the Chief Justice of India, requesting for closure of all courts across the country, marking the oaccasion of Ram Mandir Inauguration on January 22. Senior advocate and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra wrote in his letter, stating “As you are aware, the inauguration of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is set for January 22, 2024. This event has enormous religious, historical, and cultural significance for millions of people across the country, marking the realisation of a long-awaited dream and the culmination of legal proceedings that have been pivotal in defining the nation’s structure.”
Here’s a look at the list of states where an official holiday has been declared.
