Heading to Ram Mandir for Ram Navami? All you need to know
With Ram Navami just around the corner, we are all excited to witness the massive celebrations at Ram Mandir. If you are planning to visit, here is a list of things to know
Ram Lalla at Ayodhya Ram Mandir
After 500 years of relentless pursuit, the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya marked an unparalleled historic milestone, celebrated globally. Ever since then, the temple has witnessed a massive amount of devotees offering their prayers to Ram Lalla.
With the upcoming festival of Ram Navami on April 17th, there's great anticipation for a splendid celebration at the Ayodhya Ram temple, now that Lord Ram has taken his place in the newly constructed temple. Celebrating the birth of Lord Ram, Ram Navami marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations. This year's festival carries particular importance, being the first one following the temple's inauguration.
To emphasise the significance of this occasion, the Devraha Hans Baba Trust will dispatch 1,11,111 kilograms of laddus as prasad to the temple for offering and distribution. Moreover, Ram Lalla will be adorned with special hand-woven and hand-spun khadi cotton clothes by Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. Adding to the essence of festivities, a 'Surya Tilak' ceremony will grace Ram Lalla's forehead with tilak for approximately 4 minutes, for which successful testing has already been conducted.
To capture the sacred occasion of Surya Tilak and other Ram Navami festivities, Prasar Bharati plans to install approximately 100 LED screens or LED walls within the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation limits and neighbouring markets. These screens will broadcast live coverage of the Ram Navami celebrations in Ayodhya.
In addition, with lakhs of in-person devotees anticipated, the Uttar Pradesh government has enhanced security measures in and around Ayodhya to ensure the seamless execution of this important festival. Furthermore, crowd management strategies have been implemented by the government and police administration to ensure safe Darshan experiences.
If you are planning to visit the Ram Mandir, here are a few things you should know:
1. Temple Trust and the city authorities have decided to extend the darshan timings from the current 14 hours to 20 hours during Ram Navami, allowing more visitors. Consequently, on April 16, 17, and 18, the temple doors will remain open for 20 hours.
2. Further, 3 more rows will be added to the present 4 for smooth and safe darshan. A total of 7 rows will allow more visitors to seek the blessings of Ram Lalla.
3. For devotees' convenience, parking facilities have been arranged at approximately 30 locations. Additionally, electric buses and e-rickshaws are readily available in Ayodhya for easy commuting between different places.
4. Authorities have implemented restrictions on bringing certain items into the Ram Mandir premises, including phones, wallets, chargers, and other electronic devices.
5. Given the anticipated high temperatures on Ram Navami, arrangements will be made to provide shaded areas and water for visitors along the route from Birla Dharamshala to Ram Temple Marg, which is used for darshan.
6. In response to the increased number of Ram devotees expected to visit Ayodhya for Ram Navami, flight fares to the city have been reduced.
7. Foreign visitors intending to visit the Ram Temple must undergo a compulsory 14-day quarantine period as mandated by local authorities. This preventive action is intended to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission amidst the current global pandemic.
8. Lastly, the provision of offering prasad to devotees at the Ram Mandir Temple will be free of charge.
Marking the birth of Lord Ram, this year's Ram Navami is going to be special following the inauguration of the Ram Temple. So, whether you are attending in person or watching the live stream, prepare to witness an unparalleled celebration.
