Days ahead of the mega celebrations planned in Ayodhya for foundation laying of the Ram temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered prayers to Lord Ram at the Janmabhoomi site on Saturday.
Later, Adityanath also held a meeting with the members of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and local administration to take stock of the preparations ahead of foundation laying ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5, according to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of the temple trust.
The construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will begin after the ceremony to lay the foundation stone (bhoomi poojan) in which chief ministers of many states, ministers from the union cabinet and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to participate.
According to sources, the 'bhoomi poojan' of the temple is to be celebrated on the lines of the festival of light - Diwali - with all temples and houses across the country to be lit up with diyas and candles.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, set up in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict, held its second meeting last week.
In March this year, the 'Ram Lalla' idol was shifted to a temporary structure near Manas Bhawan in Ram Janmabhoomi premises till the completion of the construction of Ram temple.
The Supreme Court had on November 9 last year directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple.
( With inputs from ANI )