Flowers, lights, and sculptures: How Ayodhya is preparing for PM Modi's visit on Saturday

Ayodhya is getting ready for its big day — the inauguration of Ram Mandir. Ahead of the consecration ceremony on 22 January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the temple town tomorrow (30 December), where he will inaugurate the redeveloped railway station and the new airport. The prime minister, who is slated to flag off a Vande Bharat Express train, will also address a public meeting and likely to oversee the progress of the Ram Temple construction. On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the temple town to check preparations for the PM’s visit. Here’s how Ayodhya is being decked up with flowers, lights, and sculptures to give it a “divine look" ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Floral splendour adorns Ayodhya On Thursday, strings of orange and yellow marigolds were being wrapped around ornamental lamp posts installed on the median of a redeveloped road stretch, now christened Ram Path. These lamp posts carry design elements on the top that depict religious symbols. Scores of workers drawn from different parts of the country toiled at Ram Katha Park to meticulously put together the flowers into artistic formations. The designs of these decorations are inspired by the image of Lord Ram, his bow and arrow, Lord Hanuman and religious tilak, among other patterns. The decoration will be carried out on Friday as well. **Also Read: Ram temple event: Who has been invited? Who's giving it a miss?** Lalit Kumar Singh, a worker from Sitapur, who has been working on the floral decorations that will be used in various parts of the city, said Ayodhya will bear a “divine look” on 30 December. “I have made many decorative designs, including a floral image of Lord Ram holding his bow and arrow. It took 40-45 minutes and about seven-eight kg of flowers,” he told PTI. These items will be used for decoration along Ram Path, Dharm Path, at the airport and the railway station, among other places. [caption id=“attachment_13556882” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The designs of the decorations are inspired by the image of Lord Ram, his bow and arrow, Lord Hanuman and religious tilak, among other patterns. PTI[/caption] “Hundreds of workers are doing the job and about 300 quintal of flowers have been brought from Kolkata, Delhi, Ghazipur and other places,” he added. On a dais at the Ram Katha Park, a group of workers were busy making floral patterns hung on wooden frames. One design depicted a bow and arrow made using marigold flowers and leaves and another depicted different aspects of Lord Ram’s life. **Also Read: Stone from Rajasthan, granite from Telangana: How Ram Temple in Ayodhya will have features from across the country** Largely marigolds, chrysanthemums, orchids and anthuriums are being used for the decorations, another worker said. Grand preparation underway As the city prepares for the great consecration ceremony next month, the prime minister will also inaugurate four freshly reconstructed, enlarged, and beautified roadways in Ayodhya, including the Ram Path, to improve accessibility to the city’s future Ram Temple, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Thursday. A massive crowd is expected to descend in Ayodhya close to the consecration ceremony and the city is being decked up for the big day. A set of imposing sun-themed columns — ‘Surya Stambhs’ — are being installed along a prominent street in the holy city. [caption id=“attachment_13556902” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Commuters at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk during fog on a cold winter morning, in Ayodhya. PTI[/caption] Large posters bearing images of the upcoming Ram temple and the new airport and a message that hails Ayodhya as a city of “Maryada, Dharm and Sanskriti” have been put up in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh. Temples and ashrams have also made special arrangements to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Residents of Ayodhya and the surrounding areas are also looking forward to welcome prime minister to Ayodhya. The chief saint of Ayodhya, Rajkumar Das, has stated that saints will shower flowers on PM Modi. “Roses and marigold flowers for the flower shower are also being brought in from neighbouring districts.” Special flower arrangements are being made along the projected tour route to beautify the residences," he told ANI. Surendra, a Gonda native, praised PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, saying the pair had restored Ayodhya to its former splendour. “Under their leadership, Ayodhya not only regained its spiritual and majestic essence, but also saw significant developmental initiatives.” Ayodhya will also receive a gift of development initiatives on the 30. As a result, we are all looking forward to welcoming them," he told ANI. With inputs from PTI