Ayodhya comes alive ahead of Ram Mandir event

The ancient city of Ayodhya has come to life as it awaits the final moment. The town is all lit up and decorated with diyas and colored lighting, almost like a mini-Diwali.

The temple town on the banks of River Saryu, is beautifully illuminated as it preps up for the 'bhoomi pujan' of the much-awaited Ram Temple on Wednesday. Beautification activity is going on at the 'Ram Ki Paidi' - a riverfront along the Saryu. With just a few hours to go, Ayodhya is awaiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival for the foundation-stone laying ceremony.

Buildings on both sides of the roads that the Prime Minister's convoy will take from the helipad at the Saket College in the city to reach the Ram Temple Janmabhoomi site is being given a fresh coat of yellow paint with various characters of the Ramayana on them. Life-size sketches of both Lord Ram and Sita will adorn the helipad at Saket College, sketches and drawings of Ramayana characters will adorn the building walls on both sides of the roads.

Priests have fetched the soil of the Yamunotri Dham, water of the Yamuna river and the Brahma Kamal flower that grows in the Himalayan region.

The soil of Gangotri Dham and the water of the Ganga were also being brought.

The soil and holy ash from the famous Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain and water from the Kshipra river have also been sent to Ayodhya. The Mahakal temple is one of the 12 "jyotirlingas" of Lord Shiva in the country. The temple administration will make available over one lakh packets of 'prasad' for distribution among people and devotees on the occasion of bhoomi pujan.