LUCKNOW: The much awaited shifting of idols of Ram Lalla from the makeshift temple at the Ram Janambhoomi site to an alternate temple was completed in the presence of UP chief minister

on Wednesday. The shifting, which took place on the first day of Chaitra Navratra, is seen as the first step towards construction of Ram Temple at the Ram Janambhoomi site, more than four months after the Supreme Court delivered a verdict in favour of construction of the temple.

Yogi also donated a cheque of Rs 11 lakh from his personal account in favour of the Ram Janambhoomi Teerath Trust which was formed on the direction of the apex court to oversee construction of Ram Temple.

According to general secretary of the trust and

vice-president,

, the idols were placed on a silver `sinhasan’ (throne) amid chanting of Mantras and other rituals. “After that the clothes of Ram Lalla idols were changed, which was followed by aarti in the presence of UP CM. Later, darshan of Lord Ram ensued,” Rai said. Prominent seers from

including Mahant Kamal Nayan Das and

, besides member of the trust Dr Anil Mishra and senior officials from the Ayodhya district administration were present on the occasion.

Rai said that the new temple is constructed out of German and Estonia pine wood. It is 24-feet long, 17-feet broad and 19-feet tall. The VHP leader said that wood would remain unaffected in all seasons.

The development also comes 25 days after construction committee of the trust headed by Nripendra Mishra, former principal secretary of PM Narendra Modi, visited the Ram Janambhoomi site and laid out a tentative blueprint of the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya. VHP sources said that the construction of the proposed temple is expected to start soon after trust holds its second meeting, expectedly in the first week of April.

Meanwhile deputy CM Keshav Maurya, who is considered close to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad offered first Prasad of 56 items. “The Prasad has been accepted by Ram Lalla from former VHP chief late Ashok Singhal and scores of

,” Maurya said in a statement.