Bow-arrow in hand, 'tilak' on forehead: Ram Lalla's first look at Ayodhya mandir revealed

Lucknow: Three days ahead of the much awaited 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony at the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the first full look of Ram Lalla was revealed on Friday.

The pictures, which were released by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) showed Ram Lalla's 5'1-high idol made of black stone with 'tilak' on its forehead and carrying a golden coloured bow and arrow. The picture of the idol shows a five year old Ram Lalla also the deity's smiling face.

The newly built idol of the Ram Lalla was on Thursday installed in the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple amid chanting of vedic hymns by priests after performing a series of rituals.

Earlier also the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Khestra Trust, which was overseeing the construction of the Ram Temple, had released the pictures of the idol but it was completely covered with clothes. The idol now sits on an 'asana' inside the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple.

The temple was closed for devotees from Friday evening and they can now have darshan on Tuesday, day after the consecration ceremony. The Trust had earlier said that the gates of Ram temple would be thrown open to the devotees from Tuesday.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday visited Ayodhya to review the preparations for the consecration ceremony. He held meetings with the local officials and also visited the Ram Temple complex.

''There is an environment of joy and happiness in the entire country....it (consecration) is a historic moment for all of us.....not only the people of Ayodhya but of the entire country are eagerly waiting for the moment,'' he told reporters in Ayodhya.

Adityanath also said that all preparations had been completed to ensure that the event was held smoothly.

The pre-consecration rituals continued in Ayodhya. The vedic scholars performed a series of rituals at the Ram Temple on the fourth day of the special rituals leading to the consecration ceremony on Monday..

The priests associated with the rituals said that the auspicious timing of the 'pran pratishtha' was from 12:29:08 hours to 12:30:32 hours. Prime minister Narendra Modi is the chief 'yajamana' at the ceremony.