The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Post the construction of the Ram Temple, Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh is set to witness the establishment of India's largest mosque.

Sources privy to the Development told the news agency KNS that the forthcoming state-of-the-art mosque namely Mohammad Bin Abdullah is set to occupy an expansive area which will surpass the footprint of the recently constructed Ram Temple.

Insiders privy to the matter have divulged that the auspicious laying of the foundation stone for the mosque is slated for May 2024.

Notably, the event will witness the presence of the Imam of Kaaba, adding a global touch to the ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to join the momentous occasion, and there are indications that Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and UAE Absolute ruler and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum may also grace the event, they added.

Sources also said that although initial plans aimed for the foundation stone to be laid in April 2024, it has been rescheduled to May due to the sacred month of Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Within the precincts of the Mohammad Bin Abdullah Mosque, plans are underway to establish a cancer hospital and science laboratory which will enhance the offerings of this significant religious and architectural project, sources added.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — In anticipation of the historic inauguration of the Ram Mandir, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has declared a half-day public holiday on Monday.

According to an official order, in continuation of Government Order No. 1582-JK(GAD) of 2023, dated 11-12-2023, and Government Order No. 1583-JK(GAD) of 2023, dated 11-12-2023, a half-day public holiday will be observed on January 22, 2024, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The holiday will be in effect until 2:30 pm.

The announcement aligns with the decision of the Department of Personnel and Training, which declared that all Central government offices across India will be closed for half a day on January 22. This closure is in honour of the Pran Pratishta ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol at the Ayodhya Ram Temple, marking a significant moment in the ongoing construction and consecration of the temple.

The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony is scheduled to be celebrated on January 22, 2024, and the half-day public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir reflects the significance of this momentous occasion.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse