Month after Ram Lalla's consecration, all roads still lead to Ayodhya

Ayodhya (UP), Feb 21 (PTI) Twelve kilometres from Ayodhya’s Ram temple, sleeper buses that have ferried people from far-off places are lined up along the road to enter the huge parking lots. A month after the consecration at the new temple, the enthusiasm for a 'darshan' remains unabated.

In their unique traditional outfits, devotees from all parts of the country gather at holding areas from where they move towards the temple either in electric buses or e-rickshaws.

These devotees along with those coming from nearby places confluence on Ram Path that leads towards the grand temple. Barred from any traffic, one can only see devotees walking towards the temple on the left side of the road and those returning on the other side.

Festivities in Ayodhya are taking place with full vigour a month after the mega consecration ceremony, with lakhs of devotees reaching the holy city to have darshan of Lord Ram's idol in the newly constructed temple.

One gets a sense of bustle of faith at Ram temple, the heart of Ayodhya, from from more than 10 km away where buses ferrying devotees from far off places line up along the roads.

According to the officials of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, more than 25 lakh devotees visited the temple in the first 10 days after the consecration ceremony.

"We receive anywhere between one to two lakh devotees every day in February. Going by the estimated number of devotees who have visited the temple till date is around 50-60 lakh," said Prakash Gupta, office in-charge of the temple trust.

On the way towards the temple, some devotees hail "Jai Sri Ram" while others chant couplets from the Ramayan as they walk towards the temple. Most walk bare feet with their group. Along the road are small shops selling sweetmeats and other items to be offered inside the temple.

Locals, especially teenagers, stand along the road carrying small tumblers filled with colour. On getting a nod from the devotees they dip three fingers in a yellow coloured liquid before applying it on the foreheads of the pilgrims.

They then dip an inch-long stencil with 'Ram' written in Hindi in a red coloured liquid before placing the stencil in the middle of the marking made by the fingers before charging for it.

With the name of Lord Ram marked on their forehead, devotees continue the walk towards the temple. On looking from above, the rampart appears to be a confluence of India with people in different traditional clothes that give away the state or region they belong to.

On Tuesday, a group from Maharashtra, with women in sarees tied in unique Nauvaree style walking with men donning a white shirt over a white lungi paired with a white Gandhi cap, walked behind a group from Rajasthan. The large bright coloured turbans donned by the men and the bright coloured sarees of the women from the desert state contrasted with a group from Uttarakhand in which the men wore a pahadi topi and women walked in their long skirts.

Apart from local politicians from across party lines, Bollywood stars have also reached the temple for darshan.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accompanied with his counterpart in Punjab Bhagwat Mann visited the temple with their families.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with the members of UP Vidhan Sabha visited the temple on February 11. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also visited the temple with his cabinet on Tuesday.

After about a two-kilometre walk, the crowd of devotees turns into a queue only to be directed by the police personnel posted on the path leading towards the temple. Waiting for their turn to see Lord Ram's idol, most stand with their hands folded as the queue snakes ahead. While some chant "Ram Ram" with their eyes closed, others hail the name of Lord Ram on regular intervals.

These hails amplify as the queue enters inside the temple and dies down as devotees pass before the sanctum sanctorum and see the magnificent statue of Lord Ram. Devotees fold their hands, raise it above their head and bow in devotion in front of the diol as they move ahead.

"Mera salon ka sapna pura ho gaya (My years' long dream has been fulfilled). I never thought I would be able to see Lord Ram in a temple in my lifetime but my wish has been fulfilled," said Subhash Kumawat (59), a native of Tonk district in Rajasthan.

In an apparent desire to spend a few more moments in such proximity to their lord, the pace of the queue slows a bit after crossing the sanctum sanctorum. It, however, picks up on leaving the temple and is directed out by the police personnel.

According to locals, it may take anything from one hour to four hours in the queue, depending on the time of the day to have darshan of the Ram idol.

"I felt like sitting before Lord Ram and spending a few more minutes inside the temple. But I got a chance to see Lord Ram, what else can I desire for," said Manshi Karmakar, a home maker from Pune.

The emotions also reflect the thoughts of other devotees as they walk out of the temple and move towards Ram Path to return home with Lord Ram in their hearts. PTI