(MENAFN- IANS) Ayodhya, Oct 9 (IANS) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, along with her family, performed the aarti of Lord Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on Thursday.

She also visited the Shri Ram Darbar and offered prayers to Goddess Durga, revered as the Mother of the Universe.

During her visit, Sitharaman performed the Rudrabhishek of Lord Mahadev at Kuber Tila.

Champat Rai, General Secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, accompanied the Finance Minister and briefed her on the ongoing and completed aspects of temple construction.

Expressing her faith and pride in witnessing the grandeur of the newly built temple, Sitharaman said Ayodhya represents the living spirit of India's faith, culture, and civilization.

The temple courtyard resonated with hymns as devotees chanted“Jai Shri Ram,” while a gentle breeze from the Saryu River added to the divine atmosphere.

The Trust welcomed the Finance Minister with a bouquet and held discussions on temple security, darshan arrangements, and upcoming development plans.

Sitharaman also reviewed preparations for the forthcoming flag-hoisting ceremony.

Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna and Agriculture Minister and Ayodhya district in-charge Surya Pratap Shahi were present on the occasion.

Sitharaman arrived in Ayodhya on Wednesday for a two-day visit, during which she unveiled statues of three revered South Indian musical saints -- Tyagaraja Swamigal, Purandara Dasa, and Arunachala Kavi -- at Brihaspati Kund. State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also accompanying her.

Ayodhya today stands not merely as a city, but as a living embodiment of India's eternal faith, culture, and civilization.

Since the completion of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, the number of devotees from across India and the world has continued to grow. Each visitor experiences a sacred confluence of the timeless heritage of the Ramayana era and the splendor of modern India.

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