Ayodhya on ‘Crowd’ Nine: Devotees throng the Ram Temple despite the bitter cold; 19 lakh visitors in only six days
On Sunday, around two lakh “Ram Bhakts” traveled to Ayodhya to witness the magnificent temple and ask the god’s blessings. Following the pran pratistha (consecration) ceremony on January 22, about 19 lakh devotees have visited the Ram Mandir in the last six days, according to authorities of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
People started arriving on Sunday around 3 a.m., despite the bitter weather, according to authorities. In addition to Ayodhya residents, pilgrims from nearby areas like as Gonda, Gorakhpur, Barabanki, Lucknow, and Hardoi visited the shrine to get the blessings of Lord Ram.
“On Sunday, 2.25 lakh devotees came to the temple on the sixth day of Ram Lalla’s “darshan,” or watching. This brings the total number of devotees who have come in the previous six days to 19 lakh, according to Champat Rai, general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and vice president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).
The day the temple’s gates were opened to the public, January 23, had the highest number of visitors. On that day, more than 5 lakh worshippers congregated on the temple grounds to offer prayers, creating a chaotic scene. But since then, the number of visitors has stayed between 1.5 and 2.5 lakh every day, according to authorities.
A committee has been formed in accordance with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s directions to guarantee pilgrims visiting the Ram Mandir a seamless and trouble-free darshan experience. In an effort to prevent chaos, the temple administration has also set up holding places for pilgrims.
In addition, efforts are being taken to guarantee that pilgrims visiting Ayodhya remain there and explore the town, according to representatives of the temple trust and the district government. Here, there are already 17 hotels, and 73 more are planned. Of these, roughly forty are during construction. According to authorities, a few major hotel brands in India have already decided to visit Ayodhya and establish their establishments here.
