Ram temple coverage: DD to install about 40 cameras, do 4K live broadcast

Ayodhya, Jan 13 (PTI) Nearly 40 cameras will be installed by Doordarshan at various locations in Ayodhya, including the new Ram temple complex, for live coverage of the consecration ceremony which will be broadcast in cutting-edge 4K technology, a top official has said.

Besides the main temple premises, the national broadcaster will beam live visuals on different channels from Ram ki Paidi near Saryu ghat, Jatayu statue at Kuber Tila, among other locations.

“Like the G20…when we had done 4K transmission, this time also, Doordarshan will do it in 4K (broadcast technology)…. The entire coverage will be live and broadcast in different languages, and on different channels. And, private channels will also get the feed via Doordarshan,” Ministry of Information and Broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra told PTI here.

The 4K technology offers a much higher number of pixels resulting in enhanced visual quality for viewers.

The ‘pran pratishtha’ of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will take place on January 22, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries.

More than 7,000 guests have been invited by the Ram temple trust, including eminent personalities from various fields, and a large number of sadhus and seers from across the country.

Ahead of the mega ceremony, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Ayodhya administration have pulled out all the stops and the holy city is getting decked up for the big day.

Chandra and the entire DD team which will be here on the day of the consecration ceremony visited Ayodhya earlier this week to take stock of preparations for the coverage.

“We are getting to see a lot enthusiasm here for the January 22 ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony. Doordarshan has done all the preparations for it. Around 250 staff from Doordarshan will be present (on that day),” he said.

“About 40 live cameras will be set up in Ayodhya, at locations such as Ram ki Paidi, the temple complex, wherever the PM’s events will be there. One programme he has at Jatayu (statue) also,” he added.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is gearing up for the ceremony and workers are racing to finish work for the ceremony at the temple complex.

The temple complex will be opened to people from January 23 onwards, and the city of Ayodhya will virtually be fortified on the day of the ceremony, so there is a greater anticipation among devotees to watch the live coverage of ‘pran pratishtha’ and other events on that day.

Ram temple trust general secretary Champat Rai earlier said that the ‘pran pratishtha’ at the temple will take place at 12:20 pm on January 22.

Rai late December had said that a statue of Jatayu had been installed on Kuber Tila in Ayodhya.

“An ancient Shiva temple that exists on the Kuber Tila has also been revitalised,” he said.

The trust recently had unveiled photographs and videos of the new temple’s illumination and of the huge statue of Jatayu.

Ahead of the ceremony on January 22, a large number of people gather at Ram ki Paidi to soak in the spirit of Ayodhya.

A special laser show runs regularly in the evening at Ram ki Paidi during which 3D projection is also done on old temples and buildings facing the water channel, telling the story of Lord Ram and others from the epic Ramayana.

An official source said Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials have had discussion with local and state administrations and on January 10 they checked a place in the city where a media centre could be set up for the large number of journalists arriving for the coverage of the consecration ceremony.