Modi’s promised Ram temple is set to open and resonate with Hindus ahead of India’s election

By SHEIKH SAALIQ and BISWAJEET BANERJEE
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Preparations are underway in India’s northern Ayodhya city to mark the opening of a grand temple for Lord Ram, Hinduism’s most revered deity. The temple’s opening will fulfill a decadeslong Hindu nationalist pledge that is expected to resonate with voters during the upcoming national election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in attendance for the consecration ceremony Monday, when a statue of Lord Ram will be placed in the temple’s inner sanctum. Several sprawling tent cities are being erected nearby to accommodate tens of thousands of devotees. India’s powerful elite from industrialists to movie stars will fly in on private jets. Temples across the country are being spruced up, with plans for a live broadcast of the event.