Ram Mandir Dhwajarohan

**Ram Mandir Dhwajarohan** (Devanagari: राम मंदिर ध्वजारोहण) or **Ram Mandir Flag Hoisting** was a religious ceremony. It happened on November 25, 2025. During the event, a holy flag called the _Dharma Dhwaj_ was raised on top of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. The flag is on the gold-plated spire (shikhar) of the temple. This spire is 161 feet (49 meters) high.

The temple is next to the Sarayu River in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, led the ceremony.

## History

The Supreme Court of India gave the land to Hindus to build the temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the building work on August 5, 2020. This is called _Bhoomi pujan_. The temple was opened on January 22, 2024. At that time, the statue of Ram Lalla (the child form of Lord Ram) was consecrated (made holy).

People could visit the temple in 2024, but the main tower was not finished. By November 25, 2025, the main tower was done. It is built in the Nagara style. Workers put a 42-foot (13 meters) pole on top of the 161-foot tower. Prime Minister Modi said raising the flag was the final step of a 500-year struggle.

The date, November 25, was Vivaha Panchami. This day is celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. The ceremony happened during a time called _Abhijit Muhurat_ (11:45 am – 12:29 pm). Hindus believe this is a very lucky time. The start of the temple construction and the opening ceremony also happened during this time.

## The Dharma Dhwaja (Flag)

The main part of the event was raising the _Dharma Dhwaja_. This is a saffron (orange) flag.

- Size: It is a triangle. It is 22 feet (6.7 meters) long and 11 feet (3.4 meters) wide.
- Material: The flag is made of strong cloth used for parachutes. This is because the wind is very strong at 161 feet high. The flag can handle winds up to 200 kilometers per hour (120 mph).
- Pole: The pole is 42 feet tall. It can spin 360 degrees so the flag does not get tangled.

There are three pictures sewn onto the flag with gold thread:
1. The Sun (Surya): This shows that Lord Ram belongs to the Solar Dynasty (Suryavansha).
1. Om (ॐ): This is a holy sound in Hinduism. It represents the universe.
1. The Kovidara Tree: This is a picture of a special tree. It was a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya.

## The Kovidara Tree

The scientific name for the Kovidara tree is _Bauhinia variegata_. In Ayurveda (Indian medicine), its parts are used to cure sickness.

An expert named Lalit Mishra found that this tree was important in the past. He looked at old pictures of the _Ramayana_. He saw a tree on the flag of Ayodhya. He also found writing in the _Valmiki Ramayana_. In the story, Lakshmana sees his brother Bharata coming. He recognizes Bharata because his chariot has a flag with the Kovidara tree on it.

## The Ceremony

Ayodhya was decorated with 100 tons of flowers. Many police and soldiers guarded the city.

Prime Minister Modi arrived at Ayodhya Airport on November 25. He went to the temple in a procession. People threw flower petals at him and shouted _Jai Shri Ram_ (Victory to Lord Ram).

Modi prayed at the Hanumangarhi temple first. Then he went to the Ram Mandir. He prayed to the idol of Ram Lalla. Just before 12:00 pm, he went to the third floor. He used a remote control to raise the flag. Helicopters dropped flowers from the sky. Mohan Bhagwat (RSS Chief) and Yogi Adityanath (Chief Minister) stood with him.

### What Modi Said

After raising the flag, Modi gave a speech. He said the wait of 500 years was over. He said, "The wounds of centuries are healing."

He also talked about the British time in India. He mentioned Thomas Babington Macaulay. Macaulay introduced a British style of education 190 years ago. Modi said this made Indians forget their own culture. He said India must stop feeling inferior (less important) because of colonialism.

### Guests

People from tribal communities were invited. This was to remember how Lord Ram lived with tribal people in the forest.

Iqbal Ansari also came. He was a main person in the court case for the Babri Masjid (the mosque that used to be there). He said, "Ayodhya is a city of harmony."

## Reactions

- India: Rashid Alvi from the Indian National Congress party criticized Modi. He said Modi did this to get votes for the next election. He asked if Modi would raise a flag at a mosque or church.
- Israel: The Israeli Ambassador congratulated India. He said the temple is an important symbol of civilization.
- **Pakistan:** The Foreign Office of Pakistan spoke against the event. They said India is following "Hindutva ideology" and trying to destroy Muslim culture.
- India's Reply: The Government of India rejected Pakistan's statement. They said Pakistan treats its own minorities very badly. India said Pakistan has "no moral standing" (no right) to lecture others.

## Infobox (event)

- **title**: Ram Mandir Dhwajarohan
- **image**: Shri Ram Janambhoomi Mandir Dhwaja.jpg
- **caption**: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands in front of the flag. The flag has the 'Om' symbol, a Sun, and the Kovidara tree on it. This was during the ceremony in Ayodhya.
- **native name**: राम मंदिर ध्वजारोहण
- **english name**: Ram Mandir Flag Hoisting
- **time**: 11:45 am – 12:29 pm (Abhijit Muhurat)
- **venue**: Ram Mandir
- **location**: Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India
- **type**: Religious, Ceremonial
- **patron**: Narendra Modi
Yogi Adityanath
Mohan Bhagwat
- **outcome**: The 42-foot flag pole was put up and the Dharma Dhwaja flag was raised.
- **blank label**: Flag Size
- **blank data**: 22 ft × 11 ft (Triangle)
- **blank2 label**: Key Symbols
- **blank2 data**: Surya, Sun, Om, Bauhinia variegata, Kovidara Tree