Ayodhya celebrates first Holi after Ram temple 'pran pratishtha' ceremony

Ayodhya, March 25: Holi was a celebration at the grandest level ever in Ayodhya on Monday. This being the first Holi after the opening of the Ram temple earlier this year, devotees lined up for ’darshan’ since early in the morning and offered ‘gulal’ to the deity.

Devotees played Holi with flower petals and Gulal in the temple complex while ‘Chappan Bhog’ -- an array of 56 dishes -- was offered to Lord Ram who was dressed in pink brocade.

The priests sang Holi songs along with the devotees and danced in front of the idol in devotion to Ram Lalla.

Ram Janmabhoomi temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das said, "Ram Lalla is celebrating his first Holi after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in the temple. His charming idol was decorated with flowers, and gulaal was applied on the forehead."