Ram Mandir consecration: In an unprecedented display of camaraderie across the border, a video has gone viral showing Indian and Chinese troops chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to celebrate the historic return of Ram Lalla to Ayodhya after 500 years. The video went viral just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the newly-inaugurated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The video suggests that the soldiers from both countries interacted during a meeting, marked by a table with beverages and snacks. The Indian soldiers were seen helping the troops of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) to recite the "Jai Shree Ram" chant. The exact date of the video remains unclear, although some reports indicate that it might be three months old.
The video was widely shared among social media users with positive sentiments from many despite long-standing tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Many people were surprised as Chinese soldiers deviated from their usual confrontational stance to deliver wishes on Ram Mandir's 'Pran Pratistha' ceremony.
How India celebrated the inauguration of Ram Mandir
Ayodhya, once crowded with tightly packed houses and rundown stalls, has undergone an elaborate makeover in the lead-up to the temple’s inauguration. Narrow roads have been turned into a four-lane pilgrimage route leading to the temple, tourists are arriving at a new airport and sprawling railway station, and major hotel chains are building new properties.
Nearly 7,500 people, including elite industrialists, politicians and movie stars, witnessed the ritual on a giant screen outside the temple as a military helicopter showered flower petals as the 1.3-meter (4.3-foot) stone sculpture of Lord Ram was revealed. PM Modi , dressed in a traditional kurta tunic, led the opening ceremony as Hindu priests chanted hymns inside the temple’s inner sanctum.
Huge cut-outs of Lord Ram and billboards of Modi are ubiquitous across Ayodhya, where the borders have been sealed to prevent more people from coming in. Some 20,000 security personnel and more than 10,000 security cameras have been deployed. Built at an estimated cost of $217 million and spread over nearly 3 hectares (7.4 acres), the temple lies atop the debris of the 16th-century Babri Mosque, which was razed to the ground in 1992, who believed it was built on temple ruins marking the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Lakhs of Indians across the globe have taken to streets with saffron flags, chanting "Jai Shree Ram", with groups of them dancing to religious songs and roads bedecked with flowers. In the US, the Indian diaspora illuminated Times Square with the picture of Lord Ram in New York and chanted Shree Ram Bhajans and songs to showcase the cultural heritage and vibrancy of their home country.
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