Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 29 (ANI): Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra, installed a 42-foot flagpole on the main peak of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya on Tuesday.

'...On 29th April 2025, a 42-foot flagpole was installed on the main peak of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya... The process of installing the flagpole started at 6.30 am and was completed by 8 am,' said Champat Rai.

Earlier in the day, Nripendra Mishra, Chairman of the Construction Committee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, said that the Ram Mandir construction will be completed by June 5 this year.

Speaking to ANI, Mishra mentioned that 99 per cent of the temple construction work has been completed.

'Ram temple construction will be completed by June 5 this year. 99 per cent of the temple construction work has now been completed. The 'Garbhagriha', where Ram Lalla is enshrined, had already been completed earlier. However, the first and second floors and the shikhar (main spire) above were still under construction. Today, the Dhwajdand (temple flagpole) has been installed atop the shikhar, which is essentially a symbolic declaration that the work on the shikhar is now complete. The overall construction of the temple is now nearly finished,' Mishra said.

He further informed that the installation of the Ram Darbar on the first floor--featuring the idols of Lord Ram, Sita ji, and Hanuman ji--will take place on May 23.

'The idols will arrive in Ayodhya on May 23 and will be placed in their respective sanctums. Following this, there will be some associated religious ceremonies. On June 5, Lord Ram will be ceremoniously enshrined according to our faith and rituals,' he added.

The Chairman also noted that the Prime Minister had placed special emphasis on constructing seven temples dedicated to sages and devotees associated with Lord Ram, and that these temples are now complete.

'These seven temples are also now complete. The temples of Maharishi Valmiki, Shri Vashisht ji, Vishwamitra ji, Ahilya ji, Nishadraj Maharaj, Shabari Mata, and Agastya Muni, located within the temple premises, will also be opened to the public after June 5. The worship rituals for the Ram Darbar and the six temples built along the Parkota (outer boundary) will take place on June 5. Champat Rai ji will announce a detailed program for the June 5 ceremonies,' Mishra said.

He also mentioned that one or two days after June 5, once the temple is fully completed, devotees will be able to visit all the different temples within the premises for darshan.

Reflecting on the temple's growing popularity, Mishra said they remain inspired by the faith of the devotees, with daily footfalls ranging from 75,000 to 1 lakh.

Mishra also outlined the challenges faced during the construction process.

'We faced many geographical challenges during the construction. Sourcing materials from various places was also a major challenge. There were many discussions regarding engineering and design because our vision was that this temple should last for the next 1,000 years without damage. For me, these engineering challenges were the toughest part. The solution to all these challenges can be summed up in one word: teamwork,' he added. (ANI)