All casino operations in Goa remained closed on January 22 for 8 hours on the occasion of the Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. There are six offshore casinos and several onshore casinos operating in Goa. The offshore casino vessels are anchored in the Mandovi River near the state capital, Panaji, reported news agency PTI.
It has been decided that all the casinos will close their operations from 8 am to 4 pm on Monday, Shrinivas Nayak, director of the Majestic Pride group, which operates some of these casinos, told PTI. "When everyone is keeping their businesses closed and holidays have been declared to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime event, why should we not do it," he said. All government, semi-government and autonomous bodies will be closed on the occasion of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya city of Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the consecration ceremony would begin at 12.20 pm in the auspicious nakshatra and is expected to be completed by 1 pm, Champat Rai, general secretary of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, had said, and Varanasi priest Lakshmi Kant Dixit will officiate the main rituals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. He will perform the rituals in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple at around 12.30 pm.