‘Kashi Mathura baaki hai’ (Kashi and Mathura remain) reverberated through the streets of Bengaluru’s Jayanagar on Monday, January 22, as the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple and the unveiling of Ram Lalla idol was being held in Ayodhya. The celebrations were mostly limited to temples, with small tents put up in JP Nagar, Banashankari, and Jayanagar areas, where special prayers were held and devotional songs were played.
There was also a live screening of the consecration outside the Vinayaka temple opposite to Jayanagar police station. Kannada actor Tara was present at the event. A Jayanagar resident claimed this is “the golden age of Bharat.” “Modiji made this possible. It would have been a great honour to witness the consecration at Ayodhya but that's not possible, so witnessing this with the community is a joy,” he said.
When asked about the slogan on Kashi and Mathura, one of the residents donning a saffron shawl said, “This is just the beginning. They destroyed so many temples and Ayodhya is an instance of us reclaiming them. But as of now, it’s time to enjoy this moment.” Some also criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for not declaring a holiday on January 22. “This is such an important day in Indian history, how can the government not declare a holiday?” asked a 40-year-old techie who had brought his daughter along.
Employees and management of the Navrathan Jewellers on MG Road celebrated the event by installing a life-size Ram idol in front of their shop. The employees burst crackers on the road, dancing and chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’. A procession was also carried out near Mysuru Bank Circle with artistes dressed as Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman.
The Pran Prathishta ceremony in Ram temple at Ayodhya began at 12.20 pm and was completed at 12.28 pm on January 22. The ceremony was completed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Pejavar math seer Vishwaprasanna Thirtha Swami.
In Varanasi, the Gyanvapi Mosque stands in close proximity to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Sangh workers and sympathisers, who advocate for the demolition of the mosque, have alleged that it was constructed on the remains of a temple. In the case of Mathura, Hindu petitioners in court argue that the Shahi Idgah Mosque, built on the orders of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1670, stands on the birthplace of Lord Krishna, adjacent to the Krishna Janmasthan temple. Last year, the Allahabad High Court consolidated all cases related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Idgah dispute.