Ayodhya's evening lit up by diyas, fireworks

As evening fell over Ayodhya on Monday and a thin fog began to set in, thousands of residents and visitors spilled onto the streets, illuminating the temple town in hundreds of thousands of diyas, even as a laser show enraptured devotees on the Ram ki Paidi ghats along the Sarayu river.

Ayodhya, home to just around 250,000 people, was bathed in sights and sounds dedicated to Lord Ram, whose idol was consecrated at a grand temple earlier that day, with chants of "Jai Shri Ram" echoing through the town's narrow lanes.

"We have waited for 500 years for this day. Finally, the day has arrived and now Ram Lalla has been enthroned in his rightful place (sanctum-sanctorum) of the temple," said Satyendra Das, head priest of the Ram Temple.