Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened a controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque in the holy city of Ayodhya in a grand event that is expected to galvanize Hindu voters in upcoming elections. The temple, which is still under construction, is dedicated to Hinduism’s most revered deity, Lord Ram. The mood in the city was jubilant. Groups of the faithful danced to religious songs that blared on roads bedecked with flowers. Nearly 7,500 people, including elite industrialists, politicians and movie stars, witnessed the ritual on a giant screen outside the temple on Monday as a military helicopter showered flower petals.
