Ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya on January 22, preparations for the mega event intensified in Uttarakhand with chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealing to the people to perform several events, including Ram Katha, Kalash Yatra and celebrating deepotsav.

Dhami directed to celebrate the Uttarayani festival and fair, observed on Makar Sankranti every year in the state’s Kumaon region, on the theme of Ram Temple consecration ceremony, the Uttarakhand government said in a statement.

Apart from this, the chief minister also urged the people to perform Deepotsav in their homes and organise Kalash Yatras and Ram Katha. He also emphasised to organise a campaign to clean the ghats of major rivers. Apart from this, essay and painting competitions should be organised in schools on the ideals of Lord Ram.

Earlier, Dhami announced to build a state guest house near the newly constructed Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

Dhami has said that the state government will build a state guest house near the grand Ram temple. being built in Ayodhya.”

“A total of 4700.23 square metre of land has been allotted by the Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Council in Ayodhya for the state guest house of Uttarakhand, which will be constructed by the Uttarakhand government,” it added.

The preparations are in full swing for the ‘pran-prathistha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22.

Idols of elephants, lions, Lord Hanuman and Garuda, ‘vahana’ of Lord Vishnu , have been installed at the entrance gate of the Ram Temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Invitation cards for the consecration ceremony have been sent out to over 7,000 guests, including 3,000 VVIPs including priests, donors and several politicians.

According to Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust, the committee overseeing the construction of the temple, the Ram Mandir, constructed in the traditional Nagara style, is a three-storied shrine, measuring 380 feet in length (east-west direction), 250 feet in width, and 161 feet in height. It has a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. It features five Mandaps (halls) — Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prarthna and Kirtan Mandaps.