Rajasthan Declares Half-Day Holiday for Pran-Pratishtha Ceremony | 19 Jan 2024

The Rajasthan government declared a half-day holiday in the state on January 22 in view of the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The state's order comes after the Centre announced a half-day holiday for all its employees on January 22.
Preparations for the ‘pran-pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22 includes:
- Idols of elephants, lions, Lord Hanuman and Garuda, 'vahana' of Lord Vishnu, have been installed at the entrance gate of the Ram Temple.
- Invitation cards for the consecration ceremony have been sent out to guests including VVIPs, priests, donors and several politicians.
The city has undergone major improvements in preparation for the temple's inauguration:
- Prior to the Ram temple’s opening, hotel rates in Ayodhya reportedly increased and many are already booked.
- Vande Bharat Express will connect two prominent temples in Uttar Pradesh - Ram Janmabhoomi and Gorakhnath.
- Airlines intend to provide service to and from major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
The construction of the Ram Temple has already helped the economic condition in Ayodhya. The increasing number of tourists visiting the district creates new job opportunities for locals.