Mukesh Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan among 7,000 dignitaries invited to Ram Temple consecration

Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, and legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan are among the prominent personalities invited for the pran pratishtha or consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already been invited to the consecration. The list of dignitaries also includes, industrialists Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata, cricketer Virat Kohli, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and yoga guru Baba Ramdev are also among the VVIP invitees.

As many as 7,000 people, including 3,000 VVIPs, have been sent invitations by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, reported PTI quoting sources.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has also invited 4,000 seers from across the country. Invitations have also been sent to Ramayan fame actors Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia.

The families of kar sevaks killed in the police firing in 1990 have also been invited to the Ram temple opening ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is also making efforts to invite one representative each from 50 countries for the ceremony, general secretary Champat Rai said.

“Invitations have also been sent to judges, scientists, writers and poets,” Champat Rai said.

Among others who have been sent invitations include saints, priests, shankaracharyas, religious leaders, former civil servants, retired army officers, lawyers, musicians as well as Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardees, PTI reported.

“We have also invited journalists who supported the Ram Temple movement through their newspapers, writings, and reporting. Without them, this struggle for the Ram temple would have been incomplete,” the news agency quoted VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma as saying.

Sharma informed that the VVIPs will get entry to the ceremony through bar code passes. He added that invitees will be sent a registration link ahead of the ceremony. “Once they register, a bar code will be generated and it will serve as the entry pass,” Sharma added.

On December 15, the religious committee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will decide which of the three Ram Lalla idols being sculpted will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum, according to the trust officials.

Three Ram Lalla idols are being sculpted by Ganesh Bhatt, Arun Yogiraj, and Satyanarayan Pandey from two rocks brought specially from Karnataka and Rajasthan, according to Champat Rai. The idols are 90% ready and being given the final touches.