Ram Mandir Dhwajarohan


Ram Mandir Dhwajarohan or Ram Mandir Flag Hoisting was the ceremonial raising of the sacred flag on November 25, 2025, atop the 161-foot gold-plated spire of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. The temple is situated on the banks of the Sarayu River in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. The ceremony was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Historical context

Following the Supreme Court verdict that awarded the disputed land for the construction of the temple, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the bhoomi pujan on August 5, 2020. The temple was inaugurated on January 22, 2024, marked by the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla.
Although the temple was opened to devotees following the consecration in January 2024, construction of the temple's main spire remained unfinished. By November 25, 2025, the construction of the main spire, designed in the North Indian Nagara architectural style, was completed. The installation of a 42-foot flagstaff atop this 161-foot spire marked the official conclusion of the temple’s structural construction. Prime Minister Modi characterized the flag-hoisting ceremony as the purnahuti of a 500-year yajna.
November 25 coincided with Vivaha Panchami, celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. According to the Hindu calendar, in 2025, the Panchami Tithi commenced at 9:22 pm on November 24 and continued until 10:56 pm on November 25. Within this duration, the Abhijit Muhurat is regarded as an auspicious window for sacred activities. Notably, both the bhoomi pujan and the pran pratishtha of the Ram Mandir were also performed during this timeframe.

Dharma Dhwaja

The focal point of the ceremony was the saffron standard known as the Dharma Dhwaja, hoisted atop the temple's spire. According to guidelines from the Indian Ministry of Defence and most authoritative sources, the flag is a right-angled triangle measuring 22 feet in length and 11 feet in width, though some media reports cited dimensions of 20 feet by 10 feet.
Because the temple spire stands at 161 feet, where wind velocities are significantly higher, the flag was fashioned from a specialized parachute fabric. A manufacturer based in Ahmedabad stated that the flag can withstand gale-force winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, although other sources indicate it was tested for wind speeds of 60 km/h. To accommodate these conditions, the flag is mounted on a 42-foot flagpole equipped with a specialized 360-degree ball-bearing mechanism.
The saffron expanse of the flag features three prominent symbols embroidered in golden thread: the Sun, the ॐ symbol, and the kovidara tree. The Sun represents Lord Ram's lineage, the Suryavansha ; Om signifies the primordial cosmic sound representing creation, preservation, and dissolution; and the kovidara tree marks the revival of a lost emblem from the ancient royal standard of Ayodhya.

Kovidara tree

Scientifically designated as Bauhinia variegata, the kovidara tree belongs to the Leguminosae family. In various Indian vernaculars, it is commonly referred to as Raktakanchan or Kanchan. Ancient Ayurvedic treatises, the Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita, explicitly refer to it as 'Kovidara,' noting that its bark, flowers, and roots are used to treat diverse ailments.
The tree's historical association with the royal standard was rediscovered by Indologist Lalit Mishra during his research into an ancient illustrated manuscript of the Ramayana from the Mewar School. Upon observing a distinct tree depicted on the flag of Ayodhya, he consulted experts from Banaras Hindu University, who identified it as the kovidara. Mishra subsequently traced a specific textual reference to this emblem in the Ayodhya Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana. In the 84th sarga, 3rd shloka, as Bharata journeys to Chitrakoot to persuade Rama to return, Lakshmana identifies him from a distance solely by the insignia on his chariot:
According to mythological tradition, the sage Kashyapa created the kovidara by hybridizing the celestial mandara tree with the terrestrial parijata.
Following the death of King Brihadbala of Ayodhya in the Kurukshetra War, the city was stripped of its former glory, and over time, the memory of this royal standard faded. While the poet Kalidasa referenced the kovidara flower in his literary works, he made no allusion to its significance as a heraldic symbol.

Events and rituals

To mark the occasion, the city of Ayodhya and the temple complex were adorned with nearly 100 tons of flowers. Security was tightened across the city, featuring the deployment of approximately 6,970 security personnel, including ATS commandos, NSG snipers, and the Rapid Action Force. While the temple remained closed to the general public for the day, special access passes were arranged for invited dignitaries.
Ceremonial rituals commenced on November 21. Dr. Anil Mishra, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, accompanied by his wife, officiated as the Pradhan Yajman for the Navagraha Puja and the sacrificial yajna. The festivities included a Kalash Yatra, a procession wherein thousands of women carried sacred water collected from the Sarayu River. On the day of the flag hoisting, the sanctity of the occasion was upheld by 21 Vedic Acharyas and 100 priests, who engaged in continuous Vedic chanting and ritual sacrifices.
On the morning of November 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at Ayodhya Airport, where he was received by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel. From there, he proceeded to the temple premises via a roadshow. Crowds of devotees lining the route welcomed him with chants of Jai Shri Ram and showers of flower petals.
The Prime Minister first offered prayers at Hanumangarhi before visiting the newly constructed Sapta Mandir complex. Subsequently, he performed a special puja and aarti within the Garbhagriha of Ram Lalla.
As the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat approached, just prior to 12:00 pm, the Prime Minister ascended to the temple's third floor. Using a remote-control mechanism, he formally hoisted the Dharma Dhwaja atop the 161-foot spire. This moment was marked by flower petals showered from helicopters, while the air resonated with the blowing of conch shells and the ringing of bells. At this culmination, the Prime Minister was flanked by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Prime Minister's address

Following the flag-hoisting ceremony, Prime Minister Modi addressed the assembly. He spoke about history, colonialism, and the future of India. He declared, "Today, the city of Ayodhya is witnessing another turning point in India’s cultural consciousness. Today, all of India, the entire world, is filled with the divine presence of Ram. There are unparalleled contentment, boundless gratitude, and immense supernatural joy in the heart of every devotee of Ram. The wounds of centuries are healing, the pain of centuries is finding an end today, the resolution of centuries is achieving success today. Today marks the final offering of a yajna whose fire burned for 500 years."
In his address, the Prime Minister invoked British historian Thomas Babington Macaulay. He asserted that the education system introduced by Macaulay 190 years ago constituted a conspiracy designed to sever Indians from their cultural roots. Identifying the year 2035, marking the bicentenary of 'Macaulay’s Minute' as a critical milestone, he urged that within the next decade, India must liberate itself from the shackles of inferiority and the colonial mindset.
Drawing upon the symbolism of the kovidara tree, he remarked, "The Kovidar tree reminds us that when we forget our identity, we lose ourselves. And when identity returns, the nation’s self-confidence also returns."

Message of inclusivity

Representatives from indigenous tribal communities hailing from Sonbhadra and other forested regions were invited to attend the ceremony. This initiative was conceived to commemorate the relationship Lord Ram shared with forest dwellers and tribal populations during his exile, as chronicled in the Ramayana.
Iqbal Ansari, one of the principal litigants in the Babri Masjid title suit, attended the event at the invitation of the Trust. Expressing his sentiments, he remarked, "I am delighted to attend the programme. Ayodhya is a city of harmony."

Reactions

National

  • Congress leader and former MP Rashid Alvi alleged that by hoisting the saffron flag at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Modi was attempting to stoke religious sentiments to secure political gains in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections. He further questioned whether Modi would ever hoist a similar flag at a mosque, a gurdwara, or a church.

International

  • Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, extended his greetings to India on "restoring such an important civilizational symbol."

India-Pakistan exchange

On November 25, the Foreign Office of Pakistan issued a statement formally condemning the event. The statement alleged that, driven by "Hindutva ideology," concerted efforts were underway in India to erase the religious sites and cultural heritage of Muslims.
The Government of India issued a rebuttal to these remarks. Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated, "We have seen the reported remarks and reject them with the contempt they deserve." He further asserted, "As a country with a deeply stained record of bigotry, repression, and systemic mistreatment of its minorities, Pakistan has no moral standing to lecture others. Rather than delivering hypocritical homilies, Pakistan would do better to turn its gaze inwards and focus on its own abysmal human rights record."