The Ram Temple Trust in Ayodhya will hold a crucial meeting on Thursday to decide on the idol of Lord Ram, which will be installed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple during the consecration on January 22.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also in Ayodhya on Thursday to assess preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the temple town on December 30. Earlier in the day, Nripendra Misra, chairman of Ayodhya Ram Mandir Construction Committee, had arrived in the temple town to inspect the progress of the construction works.
The meetings will focus on the idol of Ram Lalla and the preparations for the consecration ceremony. The trust is also likely to hold another meeting to decide on which idol to be used.
Railway station
Workers clean the Ayodhya railway station ahead of its inauguration, in Ayodhya | PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the temple town on December 30 to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and the airport. He will also address a rally.
The railway station, renamed Ayodhya Dham, has undergone significant reconstruction and boasts of facilities, including infant care, a sick room, a tourist information centre, a fire exit, and the country's largest concourse.
The station spans across 10,000 square meters and has three platforms. The work was overseen by Rail India Technical and Economics Service (RITES), an arm of the central government.
The elongated building, with three floors -- ground, mezzanine and first -- carries two 'shikhar', one on each corner of the structure that faces the railway tracks, while on its frontage it has two chhatri-style structures, one in each end.
"The building's frontage has a colonnade having a concrete core with a cladding of sandstone, and on its side ends are tall round pillars, again having a cladding of sandstone to lend a traditional look," he told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
"The top of the station has a structure having a design that resembles a royal 'mukut' while a bow had been depicted on a wall just beneath it. This is to signify Ayodhya's association with Lord Ram," the official added.
'Aarti' passes
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has opened the booking for 'aarti' passes in both online and offline mode. There are three types of aarti that are performed during the entire day and devotees can choose any one from the list and make their bookings accordingly.
Only pass holders can witness aarti and at present, the number is limited to 36 persons for each aarti due to security reasons.
