Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the temple town of Ayodhya on Wednesday to lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple.
Wearing traditional dhoti-kurta, the prime minister deboarded an Air Force helicopter which flew him here from Lucknow. He was welcomed at the Saket helipad by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, among others.
The ground-breaking ceremony by Prime Minister Modi for the temple's construction, in the presence of leading lights of Hindutva movement including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, is being held on a day which coincides with the first anniversary of the annulment of Article 370, a key ideological plank for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Prime minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya ahead of Bhoomi Puja at Ram temple. Narendra Modi was presented with a headgear, silver 'mukut' and stole by Sri Gaddinsheen Premdas Maharaj, head priest of 10th-century Hanuman Garhi Temple.
From Hanumangarhi Temple, the prime minister will travel to 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi' where he will take part in pooja and darshan of 'Bhagwan Shree Ramlala Virajman'.
He will also plant a Parijat (Indian night jasmine) sapling. Modi will subsequently perform 'bhoomi poojan'. He will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and also release a commemorative postage stamp on the 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'. PTI