AYODHYA, India (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened a controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya on Monday, fulfilling a key Hindu nationalist promise that made him his ruling party is hoping for a record-breaking third consecutive term in office in the upcoming elections.
The temple, still under construction, is dedicated to Hinduism's Lord Ram, fulfilling a long-standing desire of millions of Hindus who revere the revered deity. Modi's party and other Hindu nationalist groups that have taken up the demand have portrayed the temple as central to their vision of reclaiming Hindu pride, which they say has been overshadowed by centuries of Mughal rule and British colonialism.
Modi, dressed in a traditional kurta tunic, led the opening ceremony while Hindu priests sang hymns in the temple's inner sanctum, where a 1.3-meter-tall stone sculpture of Lord Ram was installed last week. A priest blew a conch to mark the opening of the temple and Modi placed a lotus flower in front of the black stone idol, which was adorned with intricate gold ornaments and held a gold bow and arrow.
Millions of Indians watched the ceremony on television, and news channels reported incessantly on the event, which was portrayed as a religious spectacle.
Workers decorate a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Ram with flowers the day before the temple's grand opening in Ayodhya, India, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Nearly 7,500 people, including elite industrialists, politicians and film stars, witnessed the ritual on a huge screen in front of the temple while a military helicopter showered flower petals.
Ayodhya, once full of tightly packed houses and shabby stalls, underwent a lavish makeover ahead of the temple's inauguration. Narrow streets have been converted into a four-lane pilgrimage route leading to the temple, tourists are arriving at a new airport and a sprawling train station, and major hotel chains are building new properties.
Jubilant believers from all over the country came to celebrate the opening. Groups of them dance to religious songs played from loudspeakers on flower-filled streets. Huge cutouts of Lord Ram and billboards of Modi are ubiquitous across Ayodhya, where borders have been sealed to prevent more people from entering. About 20,000 security personnel and more than 10,000 security cameras were deployed.
Harish Joshi arrived in Ayodhya from the state of Uttarakhand four days before the ceremony, hoping to catch a glimpse. “I am here to see history unfold before our eyes. For centuries, the story of Lord Ram has resonated in the hearts of millions of people,” he said.
Analysts and critics see Monday's ceremony as the start of the election campaign for Modi, an avowed Hindu nationalist and one of India's most consistent leaders who, in his nearly decade in power, has sought to transform the country from a secular democracy into a distinctly Hindu state to transform.
The temple, located at one of India's most controversial religious sites, is expected to boost Modi's chances of winning a third consecutive term by tapping into the religious sentiments of Hindus, who make up 80% of India's 1.4 billion population turn off.
Indian Air Force helicopters shower petals with flowers over a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Ram on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, a day before the temple's grand opening in Ayodhya, India. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The temple was built at an estimated cost of $217 million and covers an area of nearly 3 hectares (7.4 acres). It lies on the rubble of the 16th-century Babri Mosque, which was razed in 1992 by Hindu mobs who believed it was built on top of temple ruins that mark the birthplace of Lord Ram.
The site has long been a religious focal point for the two communities. The demolition of the mosque sparked bloody riots across India in which 2,000 people, mostly Muslims, died.
The dispute ended in 2019 when India's Supreme Court, in a controversial ruling, called the destruction of the mosque an “egregious violation” of the law, but gave the site to the Hindus but a different piece of land to the Muslims.
The checkered history is still an open wound for many Muslims, who see the temple's construction as evidence of Modi's Hindu-first policies.
Officials say the temple, a three-story pink sandstone structure, will be open to the public after the ceremony and they expect 100,000 worshipers to visit daily. Construction workers are still working to complete 46 ornate doors and intricate wall carvings.
A security guard stands in front of the sanctum sanctorum of a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Ram on the eve of its grand opening in Ayodhya, India, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The inauguration has become a huge national event.
Modi's government planned live screenings across the country and even cinemas in some cities showed the event and offered free popcorn. Ruling party workers went door-to-door distributing religious flags while Modi encouraged people to celebrate by lighting lamps in homes and local shrines. Government offices were closed for half a day on Monday and many states declared it a holiday. Even the stock and money markets were closed that day.
But not everyone is happy. Four major Hindu religious leaders declined to attend, saying the consecration of an unfinished temple violated Hindu scriptures. Some top politicians from India's largest opposition party, the Congress, are also boycotting the event. Many opposition MPs accuse Modi of using the temple for political purposes.
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Saaliq and Pathi reported from New Delhi.