Ram Mandir: Here's what PM Modi was presented with at Ranganathaswamy Temple

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple on Saturday was presented with a gift by the priests to be taken to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. On behalf of the presiding priests at the ancient temple in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli, the Prime Minister was given a present in a basket which to be taken to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The Prime Minister visited the renowned temple in Tiruchirappalli to offer prayers. He was clad in traditional Tamil attire where he wore 'veshti' (dhothi) and an angawastram (a shawl). Modi also took blessings from the temple elephant named 'Andal' on the premises who also played a mouth organ. Later, he listened to verses from 'Kambaramayanam', the 12th-century epic written by Tamil poet Kambar.

The 'Kambaramayanam' is among the oldest renditions of the Ramayana. It is said that the poet Kambar had first publicly presented his Ramayana at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and won the hearts of the people.

Upon Modi's arrival, the temple priests greeted him with welcome slogans written on the road in Sanskrit. Priests of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple bestowed a "Sadari" (crown, symbolising Lord Vishnu's blessings) to Modi, the first prime minister to visit the shrine.

The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is an ancient Vaishnavaite temple dedicated to Sri Ranganathar which has India's largest temple compound and one of the world's greatest religious complexes. The temple is said to have been built during the Vijayanagara era and is located on an island where the Cauvery and Kollidam rivers converge.

 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Mandir will be held on January 22. The consecration ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end at 1 pm. PM Modi will then address a gathering of over 7,000 people at the venue