Ayodhya resident builds temple for CM Adityanath with life-size idol

Special prayers are offered twice every day, followed by morning and evening prayers, in the temple before the Chief Minister's idol.

A local resident has built a temple in Ayodhya for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, placing a life-size idol of him inside, complete with bow and arrow and a halo around his head. The idol is clad in saffron robes.

Special prayers are offered twice every day, followed by morning and evening prayers, in the temple before the Chief Minister's idol. After the prayers, 'prasad' is also distributed to worshippers. The temple has been built on the Faizabad-Prayagraj highway in the Bharatkund area of the district, about 25 km away from the ‘Ram Janambhoomi.’ Bharatkund is believed to be the place where Lord Ram's brother Bharat bade him farewell before the former went into exile.

Prabhakar Maurya, the local resident who built the temple, said, "We have built the temple of Yogiji, who is building the temple of Lord Ram." Mr. Maurya said he is deeply impressed by the works of the Chief Minister.

"The way the Chief Minister has done public welfare works, he has acquired a deity-like place. That is why the idea of a temple for him came to my mind," he said.

Mr. Maurya said he keeps reciting hymns in front of Mr. Adityanath's idol every day, just as he does for Lord Shri Ram.

He said he is jobless and landless, but earns around ₹1 lakh a month posting Bhajans and religious songs on YouTube. He said he built the temple from this money.

When the news reached him, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted a cryptic tweet.