Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, 28 years after the demolition of Babri Masjid at the same spot. The wait of centuries has ended and India is creating a golden chapter in Ayodhya, he said in a speech following the ground-breaking ceremony.

Mr. Modi was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, among others. The Prime Minister also unveiled a plaque and released a commemorative postal stamp to mark the occassion.

Here are the updates:

7.40 p.m. | Uttar Pradesh

Hailing Lord Ram as Imam-e-Hind (prelate of India), some Muslim devotees of Lord Ram watched the entire bhoomi pujan ceremony in Ayodhya on Wednesday live on their TV sets as they could not go there due to the coronavirus health protocols.

Underlining the countrys tradition of syncretic co-existence, they said once the coronavirus situation improves they would visit the temple site and offer their services in its construction.

It is a moment of joy for us. We are kar sevaks and consider Lord Ram as Imam-e-Hind, Raja Raees, the president of Sunni Social Forum (an organisation working for the Muslims) told PTI on Wednesday.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the bhoomi pujan at Ayodhya Ram Janambhoomi site, Mr. Raees said, "We celebrated the occasion by beating drums and playing harmonium. Shri Ram is our Paigambar. There is a feeling of happiness among the Muslims in the country. Members of our organisation watched the event live on TV.

Sunny Abbas, who lives in Lucknow, railed against those who identified the Ram temple movement as a Hindus-Muslim issue.

The bhoomi pujan is a tight slap on their faces. Most Muslims have agreed for the construction of a Ram temple respecting the sentiments of Hindus. Now the grand Ram temple will become a symbol of brotherhood, he told PTI over phone.

7.15 p.m. | Madhya Pradesh

The construction of the grand Ram temple at Ayodhya, whose bhoomi pujan was performed on Wednesday, is expected to be completed in the next three years, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said.

VHP international president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said there is enthusiasm among Hindus across the world over the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Ram temple. He blamed the Congress for the delay in the temples construction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the ground-breaking ceremony in Ayodhya for the temple at the spot where many devout Hindus believe Lord Ram was born, marking the beginning of its construction.

Mr. Kokje told PTI, The smooth manner in which the work of temple construction has been going on after the formation of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra by the Central government is amazing. We hope that the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be completed in three years.

6.30 p.m. | West Bengal

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed bhoomi pujan for the Ram temple in Ayodhya, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called for preserving brotherhood between communities and the age-old legacy of unity in diversity.

Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai; Aapas mein hain Bhai Bhai! Mera Bharat Mahaan, Mahaan Hamara Hindustan." Our country has always upheld the age-old legacy of unity in diversity, and we must preserve this to our last breath! Ms. Banerjee tweeted.

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, meanwhile, accused the TMC government in the State of disregarding Hindu sentiments by clamping a lockdown on a day when bhoomi pujan ceremony was being organised in Ayodhya.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had announced that he would light earthen lamps at the Raj Bhavan on August 5 to mark the ground-breaking ceremony in Ayodhya, said the silence of the Chief Minister was due to her appeasement politics.

5.40 p.m. | Haryana

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday described the laying of foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a happy and historic moment for every Indian.

He also said that with the laying of the foundation stone, the dreams of crores of Lord Rams devotees have come true.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday performed the bhoomi pujan of a Supreme Court-mandated Ram temple in Ayodhya, bringing to fruition the BJPs mandir movement that defined its politics for three decades and took it to the heights of power.

In a series of tweets on the occasion, Mr. Khattar said, This happy moment is historic for every Indian.

Moments before the Prime Minister was to perform the bhoomi pujan of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Mr. Khattar urged people to light a lamp in the courtyard of their homes and give a message of brotherhood.

5.35 p.m. | Jharkhand

Union Minister Arjun Munda and former Chief Ministers, Babulal Marandi and Raghubar Das, on Wednesday greeted people over foundation laying of Ram temple in Ayodhya by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr. Munda said the historic shrine in Uttar Pradesh has been a symbol of faith for Hindus worldover and starting the construction work of a grand temple by the Prime Minister has given respect to their faith.

Ram devotees have struggled for a long time for construction of Ram temple and even sacrificed their lives. This day is also to remember them, Mr. Munda, who is Union Tribal Affairs Minister, said in a statement.

Babulal Marandi said a golden and proud age began with the bhoomi pujan (ground-breaking rituals) for the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

August 5 will be scripted in the pages of history after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji laid the foundation stone for construction of a grand Ram temple, Marandi said in a statement.

He said with this historic event, a new chapter of national unity and harmony has also begun.

5.00 pm | New Delhi

The construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya is much more than a religious affair and the structure will stand as a tribute to the best of timeless human values, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu said.

He also said that Lord Rams conduct and values constitute the core of the consciousness of India, cutting across all kinds of divisions and barriers, and they are still relevant today.

In a Facebook post marking the foundation laying ceremony of Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on Wednesday, he said the construction of a temple for Lord Ram at his birthplace is more a re-coronation of the highest human values of truth, morality and ideals that the maryada purushottam epitomised during his life.

As the King of Ayodhya, he led an exemplary life, worthy of emulation by the common men and other nobles, he said.

Mr. Naidu and his wife Usha on Wednesday also recited Ramayana at the Vice-Presidents House to mark the bhoomi punjan ceremony at Ayodhya.

The family members of the Vice-President donated 5 lakh each for the fight against COVID-19 and for the construction of Ram temple, an official statement said.

In his social media post, Mr. Naidu expressed happiness at the ceremony, saying the Ram temple will continue to remind and reinforce the ethos of the motherland which is universal in application without any discrimination.

Mr. Naidu also lauded Iqbal Ansari, son of late Hashim Ansari, one of the parties to the land title dispute, for urging the people to forget the past and move on in the true spirit of India.

His words of wisdom offer useful guidance for all, he said.

The Vice-President termed this day the beginning of a new era of mutual respect for all faiths and harmonious co-existence that should spur the building of an India of the dreams of every aspiring citizen of the country. PTI

4.45 pm | Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh congratulated the people of the country on the foundation laying of Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying it fulfills the long cherished desire of every Indian.

My heartiest congratulations to the people of India on the historic foundation laying of #RamMandir in #Ayodhya, which fulfills the long cherished desire of every Indian. Lord Rams universal message of Dharma remains the guiding light not just for India but for the world," the Chief Minister said in a tweet.

4.40 pm | Chennai

The Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in neighbouring Kancheepuram has sent gold and silver coins, holy soil collected from the Kamakshi temple and the mutt, besides Vasthu (traditional Indian system of architecture) materials to be used in the bhoomi pujan for constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday.

The soil specially obtained from the temples like Ekambranathar Swamy, Kamakshi and other Vishnu temples in the town have been sent by flight to Ayodhya ahead of the bhoomi pujan, said Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamy, the 70th Acharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

4.00 pm | New Delhi

Terming the foundation laying of Ram temple in Ayodhya as a historic and proud day for India, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said it heralds the beginning of a new era.

He said by starting the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a golden chapter in the history of the great Indian civilisation, and asserted that the government remains committed to the preservation of Indian culture and its values.

Today is a historic and proud day for India. The consecration of the grand Ram temple by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lord Rams birthplace has written a golden chapter in the history of great Indian culture and civilisation and heralded the beginning of a new era, Mr. Shah, who is recuperating at a private hospital in Gurgaon after contracting COVID-19, said. PTI

3.30 pm | Ahmedabad

Jay Shree Ram! August 5 will be written in golden letters in the history books of 21st century. Five decades, 500 years of penance and struggle materialised today with the bhoomi pujan of Ram Lallas temple, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said in a video message.

The slogan - We swear by Ram that temple will surely be built there at Ayodhya - has been realised today. A Diwali like celebration has gripped the entire nation. Many Gujaratis made a contribution in the kar seva for building this temple, the BJP leader said.

He credited the two sons of Gujarats soil Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the harmonious atmosphere in which the bhoomi pujan was held at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on August 5.

We always do what we promise. This is BJPs commitment. If coronavirus was not there, todays event would have become the biggest religious congregation. I am sure the construction of Ram temple would lead to nation-building and take India ahead with pride, Mr. Rupani said. PTI

2.30 pm

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday congratulated the entire country on the occasion of the bhoomi poojan of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Congratulations to the entire country on the occasion of bhoomi poojan. May we continue to receive Lord Rams blessings. With his blessings, our country will get rid of hunger, illiteracy and poverty, and India becomes the most powerful nation in the world. May India show the path to the world in times to come. Jai Shri Ram! Jai Bajrang Bali, Mr. Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

2.20 pm

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that Lord Ram is the ultimate embodiment of supreme human values and can never appear in cruelty, hatred or injustice.

In a tweet in Hindi, the former Congress president said, Maryada Purshottam Lord Ram is the ultimate embodiment of supreme human values. He is the core of humanism embedded deep in our hearts.

Ram is love, he can never appear in hatred. Ram is compassion, he can never appear in cruelty. Ram is justice, he can never appear in injustice, he said. - PTI

2.10 pm

Ram temple will be the harbinger of a prosperous India, said PM Narendra Modi.

"Our scriptures says there has been no ruler like Lord Ram. Lord Ram's policy was that motherland is bigger than heaven. It is also Lord Ram's policy that as a nation gets powerful, it also becomes better at living peacefully. We have to ensure that fraternity and friendship cements the bricks of this temple. We have to respect the sentiments of everyone," he said, adding that the temple will continue to inspire generations to come.

PM Modi winded up his speech by talking about the importance of social distancing and using masks to control the coronavirus pandemic. - Sandeep Phukan

2 pm

Continuing his speech after the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ram temple, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that just as every section of the society, including Dalits and tribals, extended support to Gandhi ji during the freedom struggle, today every section has supported the Ram temple.

"India's faith, the collective of the people and the strength of this collective, has been a subject of research by many across the world," he said.

PM Modi speaks at the Ayodhya Ram temple ground-breaking ceremony.

"Ram is the thread of India's unity in diversity," PM Modi said, commenting on the different traditions and names of Ram and Ramayan in different languages like Tamil, Telugu, Odiya, Bengali, Kashmiri, Malayalam etc.

"Indonesia, which has the maximum Muslim population in the world, has unique Ramayan. Lord Ram is still worshipped there," he said, mentioning the different traditions of Ramayan in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. He added that references to Ramayan can be found in Iran and China, and that Srilanka has it's own Ramayan while Nepal's tradition is attached to Mother Janaki.

Ram belongs to everyone and Ram is in everyone, said PM Modi. - Sandeep Phukan

1.50 pm

Just as August 15 symbolises the end of our struggle for freedom, today symbolises the culmination of the fight for a Ram Mandir for centuries, said PM Modi, continuing his speech at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

On behalf of 130 crore people, I bow my head and pay respect to all those who were associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, he said. "Whenever we have to do something, we have looked towards Ram ji. Efforts were made to destroy Lord Ram's identity, but he still reigns in our hearts," he said, adding that the temple will be a symbol of national sentiment and collective faith.

After the temple is constructed, Ayodhya will not gain importance but the entire economy will be transformed as people from all over the world will come here, said PM Modi.

"This is an opportunity to connect people with faith, connect present with the past. It is a gift to justice-loving India," he said, adding that the event has displayed the same dignity that was shown the day the Supreme Court order regarding the temple came out. - Sandeep Phukan

1.40 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his speech with a chant hailing Lord Ram and "Jai Siya Ram".

"Today this celebration and victory call is not restricted to Ayodhya but all over the world. Congratulations to Ram devotes across the world," he said.

"It is my fortune that Shri Ram janma Bhoomi Teertha Trust invited me and allowed me to part of this event. I express my heartfelt tribute," he said, adding that it was natural for him to come.

"India Today is creating a golden chapter. Today, the entire country is immersed in Ram. Today, the entire nation is emotional as the wait that went on for centuries ended. Crores of people may not believe that they are witnessing this event. For years, Ram Lalla who has been under a tent will see a grand temple," he added.

The tradition of breaking down and rising up again will end today, he said. - Sandeep Phukan

1.35 pm

Before he begins addressing those gathered, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He also released a commemorative postage stamp on the Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

1.30 pm

The construction of the Ram temple is equivalent to the construction of India, said Mahant Nrityagopal Das, head of the Trust in charge of building the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Mahant Nrityagopal Das, head of the Trust in charge of building the Ram temple in Ayodhya

"We request Modi ji and Yogi ji to start construction immediately to respect the sentiments of the devotees," he added. - Sandeep Phukan

1.20 pm

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, speaking at the ceremony, hailed the ground-breaking ceremony as the result of 20-30 years of work. "RSS, like-minded organisations worked for 20-30 years RSS, like-minded organisations worked nearly 30 years for fulfilment of temple construction resolve," he said, adding that many people have made sacrifices for this day.

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Ram temple bhoomi poojan live updates | Grand temple will be built for Ram Lalla who lived in temporary tent for years, says PM Modi - The Hindu