MS Dhoni, Indian cricket team’s World Cup-winning captain, on Monday got an invite for to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22. Dhoni, archer Deepika Kumari, and folk singer Mukund Nayak are among the 16 distinguished individuals from Jharkhand who have been invited, according to news agency PTI. Recently, cricket great Sachin Tendulkar received an invitation to attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Temple. The ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 22.

Preparations for the occasion are underway, with many prominent luminaries invited. It is expected to be a prestigious meeting of political leaders, athletes, and celebrities, among others. Celebrities such as megastar Rajinikanth, star couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Jackie Shroff, along with his son Tiger Shroff and many more actors already have been invited.

Tendulkar is a big name in the cricket world, he is called ‘God of Cricket’ and ‘Master Blaster’. The ceremony is expected to draw leaders from various walks of life, marking a significant milestone in the culmination of efforts spanning centuries for the construction of the Ram Temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram Lalla’s idol at the grand temple. The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the shrine at noon on January 22. The birthplace of Lord Ram, Ayodhya holds great spiritual, historical, and cultural significance for the people.

Ahead of the event, volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates, including the VHP, have been reaching out to people across the country and inviting them to join the consecration ceremony by offering prayers at the temples in their neighbourhoods.

Vedic rituals for the ‘Pran-Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) in Ayodhya will begin on January 16, a week before the main ceremony. A priest from Varanasi, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, will perform the main rituals of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22. From January 14 to January 22, Ayodhya will mark the Amrit Mahotsav.

According to the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Trust, arrangements will be made for 10,000-15,000 people.

Local authorities are also gearing up for the anticipated surge in visitors around the grand ceremony and are in the process of implementing enhanced security measures and making logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and spiritually enriching experience for all attendees.

With ANI and PTI inputs