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Thousands throng Ayodhya Ram Mandir to offer prayers a day after 'Pran Pratishtha'

A posse of police have been deployed to control the crowd

Invitees inside the Ram Mandir after its consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday | PTI

A day after the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla's idol at the new Ayodhya Ram Mandir, thousands of devotees thronged the iconic temple to offer prayers on Tuesday morning. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the consecration on Monday, stating the event marks the "beginning of a new era."

Footage from the temple town showed devotees gathering in large numbers since 3 a.m. on Tuesday to have darshan of Shri Ram Lalla on the first day since the grand temple was made open to the public.

Anticipating the huge rush, a posse of police have been deployed to control the crowd.  

The temple was thrown open to the invitees on Monday as soon as Modi left the temple premises. Hundreds had rushed in creating complete chaos in the chamber before the 'garbhagriha'. 

While the list of invitees included about 8,000 names, the select list featured 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges and high priests.

Thousands of people had started arriving in the town from several parts of the country to the temple town to be part of the occasion, though the main ceremony was only for the invitees. "Jai Shri Ram' slogans also rent the air.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its east-west length is 380 feet, width 250 feet and height 161 feet. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors. The pillars and walls showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities.