Ram temple ceremony in Ayodhya: All Central govt offices to be closed for half-day on Jan 22

The Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on Thursday said in a notification that all Central government offices, Central institutions and Central industrial establishments throughout India will be closed for half-day until 02:30 pm on January 22 due to the Ram Temple pran pratishtha ceremony. The decision was taken due to the overwhelming requests from the Central government employees to participate in the celebrations. 

"The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on 22nd January, 2024 across India. To enable employees to participate in the celebrations, it has been decided that all Central government offices, Central institutions and Central industrial establishments throughout India will be closed for half-day till 1430 hours on January 22, 2024," the notification read. 

Not only this, five states have also declared a holiday across all educational institutions on the day. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Chhattisgarh and Haryana have announced that all educational institutions shall remain shut on January 22 to mark the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony. 

January 22 will also be observed as a dry day across Noida, Greater Noida and Gurugram as well as in the state of Chhattisgarh. 

Meanwhile, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has also written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud seeking a holiday in all courts on January 22. The letter read, "As you are aware, the inauguration of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is scheduled for January 22, 2024. This event holds immense religious, historical, and cultural signifiance for millions of people across the country, marking the realisation of a long-awaited dream and the culmination of legal proceedings that have been pivotal in defining the nation's structure."

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched commemorative postage stamps on Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya and a book with a compilation of stamps dedicated to Lord Rama from several countries including the US, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Cambodia.

The book also comprises the depictions of the Ram Mandir, Choupai 'Mangal Bhavan Amangal Hari', Sun, and Sarayu River as well as sculptures in and around the temple. These depictions reflect the 'Panchabhutas' or five physical elements of the nature-- sky, air, fire, earth and water. 

Also Read: PM Modi launches postage stamps on Ram Mandir ahead of Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya