Lord Ram Lalla's forehead illuminates with 'Surya Tilak' on occasion of Ram Navami

The Ram Temple in Ayodhya witnessed a unique event as the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol was anointed with a ray of sunlight, known as 'Surya Tilak' on the occasion of Ram Navami on Wednesday.

The "Surya Tilak" of Ram Lalla was done at noon through an elaborate system connected with mirrors and lenses in the Ram Temple.

The temple trust had commissioned a team of scientists to make this occasion possible. Using scientific expertise, a beam of light illuminated Ram Lala's forehead. To achieve this phenomenon, sunlight was precisely directed onto the statue's forehead using a combination of mirrors and lenses. This was carried out precisely at 12 noon for about 3 minutes.

Even as Ram Lala was to be anointed with the Surya Tilak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a reference to the historic occasion in his election rally at Nalbari Assam. With a chant of Jai Siyawar Ram the PM said "Today is the historic occasion of Ram Navami. After waiting for 500 years, Lord Ram has been seated in his grand temple. Now after a few minutes, by applying Surya Tilak to Lord Ram, his birth anniversary will be celebrated in the holy city of Ayodhya, in the Ram Temple."

The moment of the Surya Tilak had devotees in raptures as chants of Jai Shri Ram were heard across Ayodhya and even in temples across the country. Devotees broke out into song and dance outside the Ram Janambhoomi Mandir. This is the first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha of the idol of Lord Ram by PM Modi on January 22 in Ayodhya.

Ram Navami is being celebrated with great pomp at Ram Janambhoomi Mandir with offerings of 56 types of bhog, prasad and panjiri.

Earlier, Acharya Satyendra Das, Chief Priest of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, informed that everything has been decorated and the idol of Lord Ram has been specially dressed for the day, "He is dressed in yellow clothes, and after this he is bathed with Panchamrit. Four-five types of panjiris are made and along with that, 56 types of offerings are made to the Lord."

A large number of devotees thronged Ram Mandir on Wednesday morning in a vibrant display of faith and celebration. Before visiting the temple, devotees took a dip in the holy waters of the Saryu River.

The darshan at the temple had started at 3:30 am. The celebration was broadcast on about 100 LED screens throughout the city. It was also broadcasts on the trust's social media accounts.