Ram Janmabhoomi Trust invites Padma Shri recipient for Ram Temple ceremony

Social activist Mohammad Sharif who is known for cremating over 25,000 unclaimed bodies has been invited for the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ram Temple. Mohammad Sharif has been performing last rites of Hindu and Muslim bodies in Faizabad for the last 27 years. Ram Temple foundation stone laying ceremony will be held on August 05.

Ram temple: Babri litigant Iqbal Ansari gets invite, says 'Lord's wish'

Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, has been invited for the August 5 event. Iqbal, the son of Hashim Ansari, one of the original litigants in the case, said that it was the wish of Hindu god Ram that he be one of the first people to get an invite. Ansari added that he has respect for the 'saints and seers' who are part of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust which is overseeing the construction of the temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation stone of the temple at a mega ceremony on August 5, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, a resident of Chhattisgarh is traversing 800 km to Ayodhya over 10 days to gift soil and water from what he called Ram's maternal home. Mohammad Faiz Khan said that Ram's mother Kaushalya belonged to a village near present-day Raipur. Watch the full video for more.

Ram Temple politics: MP minister's 'asur' jibe at Digvijaya Singh

Politics over the Ram temple foundation laying event is escalating with every passing day. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh claimed that BJP leaders were being found Covid positive due since they're not following the beliefs of Hinduism. BJP was quick to respond with MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra likening the Congress leader to an 'asur'. Digivijaya Singh launched another attack on the BJP, this time mocking the foundation stone laying event on the 5th saying, Rajiv Gandhi had already performed Shilanyas earlier. Digvijaya has also called on PM Modi to defer the foundation laying ceremony saying that the date was inauspicious. The war of words come just two days before the grand 'bhoomi poojan' event in Ayodhya. PM Modi is all set to lay the foundation stone in the presence of 200 other dignitaries, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Grand preparations are underway in the temple town to make the event a mini-diwali like affair. Coming as it does in the middle of a pandemic, all preventive measures have also been taken at the temple site. Watch the full video for all the details.

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creates Ram Temple's replica on Puri beach

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created replica of Ram Temple on Puri beach ahead of stone laying foundation ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 05. The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Various dignitaries from political and religious fields are likely to participate.

Watch: Devotees light earthen lamps at Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple

Earthen lamps were lit at Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar Temple as part of 'deepotsav', ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony of Ram Temple in UP's Ayodhya. The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Various dignitaries from political and religious fields are likely to participate.

People across country celebrate Raksha Bandhan in unique ways

People across country celebrated Raksha Bandhan on August 3 in their own unique ways. Women in Ayodhya tied Rakhi to idols of Lord Rama on the auspicious occasion. 'Festivals have no religion,' this was quiet evident when Muslim women in Kanpur tied Rakhi to Hindu brothers. In view of COVID-19 pandemic, people in Amritsar preferred to tie 'mauli' instead of Rakhi and made sweets at home instead of buying it from shops. They also tied masks on each other's face. In the national capital, people maintained social distancing norms while purchasing rakhi and sweets.

PM Modi to plant divine tree 'Parijaat' during Ram temple bhoomi pujan: Mahant Rajkumar Das

Just one day prior, the zeal of Ram Temple's foundation laying ceremony is on its peak in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. The city is echoing the chants of lord Rama and illuminated with mesmerizing lights. Religious leader Mahant Rajkumar Das briefed about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's schedule for the 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram temple on August 05. He said, "'Parijaat' is considered as a divine tree, therefore, PM Modi will plant the tree," "PM will go to Shree Ram Janmabhoomi where he'll take part in pooja of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'. He'll then plant a Parijat sapling and subsequently perform Bhoomi Pujan," he added.