Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened a controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historical mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya, delivering on a pledge his ruling party hopes will win a third term in power.
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The inauguration of the temple, which is still under construction, is dedicated to Hinduism's Lord Ram and fulfills a long-standing demand made by millions of Hindus who worship the revered deity.
Modi's party and other Hindu nationalist groups have portrayed the temple as central to their vision of reclaiming India's Hindu pride that they say was shadowed by centuries of Mughal rule and British colonialism.
Nearly 7,500 people, including the country's most elite industrialists, politicians and movie stars, watched the opening ceremony on a giant screen outside the temple as a military helicopter showered petals.
Analysts and critics see Monday's ceremony as the start of the election campaign for Modi, an avowed nationalist who has sought to transform the country from a secular democracy into a distinctly Hindu state in his nearly 10 years in power.
The temple, located at one of India's most vexed religious sites, is expected to embolden Modi's chances of clinching a record third successive term by drawing on the religious sentiments of Hindus, who make up 80 per cent of India's population of 1.4 billion.
Built at an estimated cost of $217 million and spread over nearly 3 hectares, the temple lies atop the debris of a 16th-century mosque. It was razed to the ground in 1992 by Hindu mobs who believed the Babri Mosque was built on temple ruins that marked the birthplace of Lord Ram.
The site has long been an intense religious flashpoint for the two communities, with the demolition of the mosque triggering bloody riots across India that killed 2,000 people, mostly Muslims.
The dispute ended in 2019 when, in a controversial decision, India's Supreme Court called the mosque's destruction "an egregious violation" of the law, but granted the site to Hindus while giving Muslims a different plot of land.
The fraught history is still an open wound for many Muslims, who see the construction of the temple as a testament to Modi's Hindu-first politics.
Officials say the temple, a three-story structure etched out of pink sandstone, will open to the public after the ceremony and they expect 100,000 devotees to visit daily. Builders are still working to finish 46 elaborate doors and intricate wall carvings.
But not all Hindus are rejoicing. Four key religious authorities have refused to attend, saying consecrating an unfinished temple goes against Hindu scriptures. Some top leaders from India's main opposition Congress party are also boycotting the event, with many opposition lawmakers accusing Modi of exploiting the temple for political points.
Australian Associated Press
