Adityanath reviews security ahead of bhoomi pujan, Ram lalla to don green

Ceremony to mark start of Ram temple construction should be done under Covid-19 protocol, says UP Chief Minister.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked senior police and administrative officers to ensure security for the upcoming festivals and the event related to the laying of the foundation stone of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5.

Adityanath called for vigilance in districts in view of upcoming Eid-ul-Azha (Bakri Eid), Rakshabandhan, Ayodhya program, Janmashtami and Independence Day.

"Ensure security arrangements. Keep a close watch on anti-social elements," he said in a video conference.

Celebration for the upcoming festivals and Ayodhya program on August 5 should be conducted peacefully in full compliance of Covid-19 protocol, he said.

The officials were instructed regarding flood prevention and relief work, sanitation work and steps to be taken to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Special arrangements should be made for sanitation in all the districts and uninterrupted power and water supply should also be ensured, the Chief Minister directed in the meeting.

Door-to-door survey and contact tracing should be done expeditiously and take services of NCC, NSS, Ex-servicemen, Civil Defense etc in the containment zones, he added.

By ensuring registration of street vendors on a large scale, they should be benefited under the Special Economic Package, Chief Minister Adityanath stated.

The idol of Ram Lalla is likely to don a green coloured attire with a saffron border on August 5 when 'bhoomi pujan" will be done for the construction of a grand temple at Ayodhya.

The attire will have "navratnas" stitched on it and is being readied at a shop in Ayodhya whose owners have been stitching clothes for Ram Lalla for four generations.

The shop 'Babu Lal Tailors' is run by two brothers -- Bhagwat Prasad and Shankar Lal - and they only stitch clothes for Gods and Goddesses in temples.

Prasad said his father stitched dresses for Ram Lalla for several years and he is continuing the legacy.

"Clothes of Ram Lalla are being stitched at our shop for four generations. After my father died, we are continuing his legacy. We used to go to the site and stitch clothes of Ram Lalla with my father. He died in 1992 and since then clothes of Ram Lalla are being stitched at my shop here," Prasad told ANI.

He said the government earlier got seven set of clothes stitched and of late devotees have also been coming to take clothes for deity.

Prasad said that the dress for Ram Lalla idol will have navratnas.

He said Kalki Ram of Ramdal Sewa Trust has placed order for two dresses for August 5 ceremony.

"One is green coloured and the other is saffron and these will be completed in two-three days. Wednesday is the day of Lord Ganesha and green colour is associated with the deity. Green coloured dress will have border of saffron," he said.

Prasad said he also has orders for white-coloured attire for Monday and a red attire and Tuesday for Ram Lalla, the two days preceding the ceremony.

Pandit Kalki Ram, President, Ramdal Sewa Trust, said that Ram Lalla's costume will have a grand look to mark the special occasion of bhoomi pujan.

"Bhoomi pujan programme is a big event. On August 5, Ram Lalla's costume will be of green and saffron colour. The costume has navratnas for nine planets. Normally, it takes two days to design and prepare the costume but this time a grand look is being given to the costume. The tailor has said that the costume will be completed by August 1," he told ANI.

He said they got to know through the media that the government got only seven costumes made for Ram Lalla in a year. "We made a resolution that a costume will be made for Ram Lalla on various days. There are new costumes on ekadashis, amavasya, poornima," he said.

Kalki Ram said that his trust has been getting dresses made for Ram Lalla for two years.

Champat Rai, General Secretary, Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said that decision on dress of Ram Lalla will be taken by chief priest Satyendra Das.

"Dress of God will be decided by the chief priest Satyendra Dasji Maharaj. As per my information, every planet has a colour. Each day has a colour. Wednesday has also a colour," Rai said.

Rai said that coronavirus guidelines will be followed at the event and only limited number of people will be allowed to participate.

"We will try that not more than 125-150 people attend the event. The guidelines of the government will be followed," he said.

"I will request people not to travel to Ayodhya for the event. Everyone should celebrate the event at their own places by lighting lamps and diyas. Pray that India becomes free from coronavirus," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5, according to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust.

The construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will begin after the ceremony to lay the foundation stone (bhoomi poojan) in which chief ministers of many states, ministers from the union cabinet and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to participate.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, set up in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict, held its second meeting earlier this month.

In March this year, the 'Ram Lalla' idol was shifted to a temporary structure.

The apex court, on November 9 last year, had directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple.