PM Modi gifted silver crown, headgear at Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi temple

PM Modi receiving blessings from the priests at Hanuman Garhi in Ayodhya.

Ahead of the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday visited Hanuman Garhi temple to offer prayers, where he was gifted a silver crown, a stole embossed with the name of Lord Ram, and a headgear.

PM Modi, who touched down in Ayodhya at 11:35 this morning, made a quick visit to Hanuman Garhi before attending the ground-breaking ceremony of the ‘Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir’.

“We also hope that Prime Minister Modi rings the 3.5 quintal bell and proceed towards Ram Janmabhoom,” Hanumangarhi’s head priest Sri Gaddinsheen Premdas Ji Maharaj told ANI before the prime minister’s visit.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming and it is a matter of pride for Ayodhya. Many Prime Ministers took office but none apart from PM Modi came for laying the foundation stone for Ram temple,” he said.

#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented with a headgear, silver 'mukut' and stole by Sri Gaddinsheen Premdas Maharaj, head priest of 10th-century Hanuman Garhi Temple.#Ayodhya #RamTemple pic.twitter.com/EOgqrz9hi1

— ANI (@ANI) August 5, 2020

The city of Ayodhya has been decked up ahead of the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony. The facades of road-facing buildings have been painted yellow — an auspicious colour associated with knowledge and learning.

PM Modi is among a total of 175 people who have been invited to attend the event. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, only five people will be seated on the main dias to ensure that social distancing norms are strictly followed.

The Prime Minister will share the stage with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, trust chief Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, and CM Yogi Adityanath