"We're proud to be Ram Lalla's neighbours": Landowner Noor Alam ahead of Dharma Dhwaj event in Ayodhya

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 25 (ANI): As Ayodhya prepares for the 'Dharma Dhwaj' ceremony today, Noor Alam, the owner of land adjacent to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, expressed enthusiasm for attending the flag-hoisting event, saying he feels proud to be "Ram Lalla's neighbour."
Alam said Ayodhya has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, with the development of an international airport, a revamped railway station and the newly built Rampath.
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Alam said, "We have been living here for generations. We are also known as the neighbours of Lord Shri Ram. It is our good fortune to get the opportunity to attend this event. We will definitely go. History is about to be written, and we will be witnesses to it. Such moments are cherished lifelong. In my 42 years, I have seen so many aspects of Ayodhya. We never imagined that our Ayodhya would become what it is now. Ayodhya is known everywhere in the world. The credit for this goes solely to our Prime Minister and Chief Minister."
He added, "We will never forget their favour... In such a small town, we never imagined that we would have an international airport, a road like Rampath, and such a large railway station. People here used to go to Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Gujarat for business, but today, people from those places come here to do business. This is Ayodhya... We have no words to express how proud we are to be Ram Lalla's neighbours... Everyone here is happy.
Reflecting on the atmosphere following the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in January 2024, Alam said, "After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, the atmosphere here has become such that every person is happy. No one is troubled. God's grace is showering on everyone..."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the sacred flag (Dharma Dhwaj) atop the 191-foot-high shikhara of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple today, marking a significant moment in the nation's spiritual and cultural landscape.
The flag carries three sacred symbols--Om, the Sun and the Kovidara tree.
The Kovidar tree is a hybrid of the Mandar and Parijat trees, created by Rishi Kashyap, showcasing ancient plant hybridisation. The Sun represents Lord Ram's Suryavansh lineage, and Om is the eternal spiritual sound.
At around 10 am, the Prime Minister will visit Saptmandir, which houses temples related to Maharshi Vashishtha, Maharshi Vishwamitra, Maharshi Agastya, Maharshi Valmiki, Devi Ahilya, Nishadraj Guha and Mata Shabari. This will be followed by a visit to Sheshavtar Mandir.
At around 11 am, the Prime Minister will visit Mata Annapurna Mandir. After this, he will perform Darshan and Pooja at Ram Darbar Garbh Grah, which will be followed by Darshan at Ram Lalla Garbha Grah.
At around 12 noon, the Prime Minister will ceremonially hoist a saffron flag on the Shikhar of the sacred Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, symbolising the completion of the temple's construction and ushering in a new chapter of cultural celebration and national unity. The Prime Minister will also address the gathering on this historic occasion.
The programme will take place on the auspicious Panchami of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Margashirsha, coinciding with the Abhijit Muhurat of Shri Ram and Maa Sita's Vivah Panchami, a day symbolising divine union.
The right-angled triangular flag, measuring ten feet in height and twenty feet in length, bears the image of a radiant Sun symbolising the brilliance and valour of Bhagwan Shri Ram, with an 'Om' inscribed on it along with the image of the Kovidara tree. The sacred saffron flag will convey a message of dignity, unity, and cultural continuity, embodying the ideals of Ram Rajya.
The flag will rise atop a Shikhar constructed in the traditional North Indian Nagara architectural style, while the surrounding 800-metre Parkota, a circumambulatory enclosure built around the temple, designed in the South Indian architectural tradition, showcases the temple's architectural diversity.
A release said that the temple complex features 87 intricately carved stone episodes from the life of Lord Ram based on the Valmiki Ramayana on the outer walls of the main temple, and 79 bronze-cast episodes from Indian culture placed along the enclosure walls. (ANI)