Glittering turnout as guests from all walks attend event

A galaxy of guests from an array of fields and industries converged in Ayodhya to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on Monday morning, packing the much of the 70-acre complex as the rituals unfolded, before becoming the first devotees to pay obeisance to the idol of the infant Lord Ram, or Ram Lalla.

The usually quiet temple town throbbed with life, its airport filled with private aircraft, as an invited audience of nearly 8.000, including sportspeople, actors, businesspeople, spiritual leaders and politicians watched Prime Minister Narendra Modi perform the pran pratistha of the 51-inch idol.

The guests included a slew of celebrities from the Hindi film industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif and Ayushmann Khurrana.

As he left the venue, Rajinikanth said he would visit the town every year.

"It was a historic event and I am very fortunate. I will definitely visit Ayodhya every year," he said.

Chiranjeevi, meanwhile, said, "This is a God-given opportunity, we are really happy to be here." Khurrana called the ceremony a "historic event".