Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar has turned down the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, which is scheduled to take place on January 22. In a letter addressed to Champat Rai, the General Secretary of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, Pawar expressed his appreciation for the invitation but stated that he will visit for darshan after the ceremony and once the construction is complete. Pawar acknowledged the devotion of crores of devotees towards Lord Ram and described him as a symbol of worship and devotion for millions of people in India. Pawar also mentioned the excitement among devotees about the ceremony and the large number of people visiting the temple. He conveyed his gratitude for the invitation and wished for the success of the ceremony. Earlier, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also declined the invitation but expressed his intention to visit the temple with his family at a later date. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and several Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, have also turned down the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. The Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s historic Ram Temple will be held on January 22. Vedic rituals for the ceremony began a week before the main event, and the temple will be open for darshan to the general public from January 23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a special ritual in the lead-up to the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Ramlala at the temple.