From NY's Times Square to Lucknow's Chowk, it is Ram all the way

Lucknow, Jan 11 (IANS) From the Times Square in New York to Chowk in Lucknow, the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple is set to resonate globally.

UP officials are collaborating with national agencies and the Union ministry of information and broadcasting and are identifying the key locations for coverage on January 21 and 22.

A senior official said meticulous preparations include live streaming of the ceremony across the various cities for comprehensive coverage. Rallies and shows supporting the temple are scheduled in California, Washington, New York, Chicago, and various European and Canadian cities.

The Times Square billboard will also feature the event to attract a vast audience.

Iconic global landmarks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Times Square in New York are expected to draw large crowds tuning into the ceremony. Parisian viewers will experience the event in the early morning, while those in New York will gather around midnight for this grand spectacle.

The live broadcast of the celebrations will be disseminated worldwide.

“On January 22, followers of Lord Ram can participate in the ceremony from anywhere, as the event will be showcased by the national broadcaster and will also be accessible online, the official informed.

In Lucknow, traders’ associations led by the UP Adarsh Vyapar Mandal (UPAVM) have decided to embellish the city with Hindu-themed banners, hoardings, and flags.

The initiative, known as ‘Shri Ram Campaign’, will extend to various markets in the city and along the routes connecting Lucknow with Ayodhya. Traders aim to instill a sense of festivity reminiscent of Diwali, to celebrate the “homecoming” of Lord Ram.

UPAVM president and UP head of CAIT, Sanjay Gupta, emphasised the collective effort of traders to adorn major markets with flags and banners depicting their devotion to Lord Ram.

In addition to beautifying markets with large cutouts of Lord Ram and replicas of the Ram temple, traders plan to install LED screens at various locations. These screens will broadcast live coverage of the grand Pran Pratishtha ceremony scheduled for January 22, including the Saryu River 'aarti'.

Traders will also organise hymn recitals at marketplaces and make provisions to provide food to devotees enroute to Ayodhya.