The BBC's Ram Dutt Tripathi in Lucknow

Hundreds of Hindu activists are gathering in the northern Indian town of Ayodhya to begin building a temple at a disputed site where an ancient mosque was razed a decade ago.

Although India's central government says it will enforce the law which strictly prohibits such construction, the activists say they are going ahead with their plan.

Pressure is mounting on the government

The volunteers, who belong to the right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), are arriving by trains and buses from different parts of India.

They worship at a makeshift temple on the ruins of the ancient mosque and then take a pledge to build a temple in its place.

The demolition of the mosque by VHP militants in 1992 led to communal riots and tension all over India.

Chanting slogans "Jai Shri Ram" the volunteers attend special prayers at the VHP's headquarters near the site.

Nearby, dozens of artisans are engaged in chiselling red sandstone pillars, arches and images of Hindu deities for the planned temple.

A dispute between Hindus and Muslims over the ownership of the land has been pending in court for several years.

Fraternal disputes

The VHP is an important ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In the past, the BJP provided political support for the VHP's controversial temple-building plans and its campaign for turning India into a Hindu state.

But the compulsions of national politics have forced the BJP to distance itself from the VHP's campaign.

Passions are running high over the Ayodhya issue

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has advised the VHP to wait for the court's verdict before taking further steps.

Defying Mr Vajpayee, a senior VHP leader, Acharya Giriraj Kishor, announced on Monday that moving building material to the disputed site will begin at 1415 local time (0845 GMT) on 15 March.

But in a speech to the opening session of the parliament on Monday, President KR Narayanan said the government was duty-bound to maintain the status quo at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The president also said that all necessary measures would be taken to ensure the preservation of law and order.