Ram Mandir dhwajarohan marks formal completion of Ayodhya shrine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted a sacred saffron flag atop the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday in a dhwajarohan ceremony that marked the formal completion of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The occasion drew thousands of invitees and brought an extended cycle of rituals, construction work and consecration events to a ceremonial close within the temple precincts.

आज अयोध्या नगरी भारत की सांस्कृतिक चेतना के एक और उत्कर्ष-बिंदु की साक्षी बन रही है। श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर के शिखर ध्वजारोहण उत्सव का यह क्षण अद्वितीय और अलौकिक है। सियावर रामचंद्र की जय! https://t.co/4PPt0rEnZy

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2025

The event took place during the abhijeet muhurta, a mid-day period described by temple priests as particularly auspicious for religious works.

The flag measures 22 by 11 feet and was embroidered with golden depictions of the sun, the holy Om and the kovidar tree. The flag was mounted on a 42-foot pole rising from the temple’s shikhara and was hoisted amid chants, conches and Vedic recitations.

The prime minister was accompanied by the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, office-bearers of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, senior sadhus and dignitaries from across the country.

All 44 doors of the temple were opened for the dhwajarohan rituals and large screens were placed around the complex for invited attendees, estimated by authorities at more than 8,000.

The prime minister also offered prayers at the newly constructed Sapt Mandir situated within the temple compound. Officials said the precinct hosted flower decorations, rangoli installations and music performances through the morning.

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Background to consecration, significance of Dhwajarohan

Priests associated with the ceremony described the dhwajarohan as a ritual that activates the entire built structure. A senior priest said the ritual amounted to a form of 'second pran pratishtha', although he stressed that both rituals served different purposes within temple tradition.

Pran pratishtha had earlier been performed on 22 January 2024 when the Ram Lalla idol was installed in the sanctum sanctorum and consecrated with the life-infusing mantra rituals prescribed in Agama codes for temples and Vaishnava traditions. The ceremony allowed daily worship to begin while large parts of the temple complex were still under construction.

"Dhwajarohan" differs in meaning and function. The ceremony does not relate to the idol itself but symbolises the architectural, ritual and institutional completion of the temple. According to temple authorities, the saffron flag mounted on the shikhara marks the shrine's sovereignty. It signals that the structure is fully prepared for all forms of worship, festivals and pilgrim access.

The event coincided with Vivah Panchami, a festival observing the divine wedding of Ram and Sita. Devotional groups performed recitations and offerings throughout the morning, and flower showers were planned from elevated platforms once the flag was raised.

History of dispute over site, legal developments, final settlement

The site of the Ram temple has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities for more than a century. Records from the nineteenth century show repeated confrontations over rights of access and modes of worship in and around the structure, which was then used as a mosque. Fencing arrangements were introduced by the colonial administration to reduce conflict, but litigation continued to accumulate.

Matters changed dramatically in December 1949 when idols of Ram Lalla appeared inside the mosque structure. The authorities locked the premises but allowed certain forms of limited Hindu worship inside the space while disallowing Muslim prayers. Several civil suits were filed in succeeding decades seeking a judicial determination of ownership and rights over the plot.

The demolition of the Babri Masjid on 6 December 1992 led to communal violence across the country and accelerated the transfer of the dispute into the courts. The Supreme Court heard appeals following a 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment that had suggested a three-way division of the land.

In its final judgment, the Supreme Court awarded the disputed land to a trust for the construction of a Ram temple and directed the allotment of an alternative plot of land for a mosque. The court recognised the Hindu claim of continuous worship at the site while also acknowledging that the demolition of the mosque in 1992 violated the rule of law. A trust was subsequently set up to oversee construction, pilgrimage facilities and administrative operations.

Architecture, construction agencies, materials

The Ram Mandir has been designed in the Nagara architectural style of northern India, characterised by a curvilinear shikhara, mandapas supported by carved stone pillars and sculptural panels illustrating episodes from the Ramayana. The temple rises on a large stone plinth and incorporates procession paths, subsidiary shrines and mandapas for ceremonial activities.

Architects associated with the project drew inspiration from classical temple towns and historic sites in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Hundreds of craftsmen were mobilised for carving, inlay and relief work, with detailed motifs representing flora, deities, celestial beings and mythic scenes.

The primary building material is pink sandstone sourced from Rajasthan. Blocks were shaped using both traditional tools and controlled mechanical processes to ensure uniformity. Engineers supervised structural calculations, especially for the foundation where deep soil reinforcement was required owing to the geological profile of the region.

A construction agency oversaw coordination between architects, structural engineers, artisans and suppliers. Conservation specialists were consulted to ensure that the weight of the shikhara and upper mandapas was distributed adequately across the plinth. Service lines such as drainage, electrical conduits and fire-safety installations were incorporated below the stone layers to keep them hidden from view.

The complex includes facilities for pilgrims, ceremonial courtyards, gardens and water features. Landscaping is ongoing in areas surrounding the temple, and the trust has indicated that additional shrines and facilities will be gradually opened to visitors.

Priests at the ceremony said Dhwajarohan signified the completion of these architectural and ritual processes. A temple official said the ceremony ensured that 'the entire mandir parihaar becomes spiritually active for all future worship'.

Visitors arriving in Ayodhya on Tuesday reported heavy security arrangements and extended traffic diversions around the temple site. Authorities deployed additional medical teams at designated points following reports of health emergencies during previous gatherings.

The prime minister was scheduled to address the invitees after the completion of the flag-hoisting. Trust officials said the full calendar of forthcoming rituals, festivals and opening events would be announced soon.