April 17, 2024: On the occasion of Ram Navami, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya witnessed a unique event as the forehead of the Ram Lalla idol was illuminated with a ray of sunlight, known as 'Surya Tilak' on Wednesday.

This is the first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha of the idol of Lord Ram by PM Modi on January 22 in Ayodhya. Ram Navami is being celebrated with great pomp at Ram Janambhoomi Mandir with offerings of 56 types of bhog, prasad and panjiri.

The "Surya Tilak" of Ram Lalla was done at noon through an elaborate system connected with mirrors and lenses in the Ram Temple.

The temple trust had commissioned a team of scientists to make this occasion possible. Using scientific expertise, a beam of light illuminated Ram Lala's forehead. To achieve this phenomenon, sunlight was precisely directed onto the statue's forehead using a combination of mirrors and lenses. This was carried out precisely at 12 noon for about 3 minutes.

While campaigning for LS polls at Assam’s Nalbari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to switch on their mobile flashlights as the ‘Surya Tilak’ ritual of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was being performed. He said "Today is the historic occasion of Ram Navami. After waiting for 500 years, Lord Ram has been seated in his grand temple. Now after a few minutes, by applying Surya Tilak to Lord Ram, his birth anniversary will be celebrated in the holy city of Ayodhya, in the Ram Temple."