India gets festive ahead of grand temple event
Indians get in the festive mood
ahead of the Ram Temple ceremony
Location: Ayodhya
People lit earthen lamps
and covered the Saryu river banks
as part of the ‘Deepotsav' celebrations
(SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) AMRITSAR RESIDENT, MONIKA SHARMA, SAYING:
"We have made this string of earthen lamps because we are happy that Ram Temple construction is going to begin tomorrow. We also sang devotional songs and praised Lord Ram,
did fireworks, and distributed sweets. It was the dream of the whole country that a Ram Temple be built and now that dream is coming true."
People are celebrating the construction of a Hindu temple
on a site contested by Muslims for decades
but given to Hindus by the Supreme Court
Hindus believe it is the birthplace of Lord Ram
who is a physical incarnation of the god Vishnu