'Emotional moment for me': PM Modi watches Ram Lalla's Surya Tilak barefoot while travelling

New Delhi, April 17: As crores of devotees were keenly observing the Surya Tilak ceremony performed on the idol of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's grand Ram Mandir on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too watched it virtually after his election rally in Assam's Nalbari.

Taking to the social media platform X, PM Modi expressed the emotional significance of the moment and said, "After my Nalbari rally, I witnessed the Surya Tilak on Ram Lalla. Like millions of Indians, this is a deeply emotional moment for me. The grand Ram Navami celebration in Ayodhya is historic. May this Surya Tilak infuse our lives with energy and inspire our nation to achieve new heights of glory."

The Surya Tilak ceremony on Ram Lalla's idol was conducted precisely at noon on Wednesday, using an intricate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses to direct sunbeams onto the deity's forehead. PM Modi, during his Assam rally, encouraged attendees to illuminate their mobile phone flashlights to mark the divine occasion.

History was scripted as this Ram Navami marked the first celebration since the consecration of the Ram Lalla at the newly constructed Ram Mandir, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 22.

Prakash Gupta, the temple spokesperson, revealed that the Surya Tilak lasted for approximately 4-5 minutes, with focused sunlight directly illuminating the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol. To ensure safety and adherence to COVID-19 protocols, temple authorities restricted devotees from entering the sanctum sanctorum during the ceremony.