How Ayodhya Is Celebrating Its First Ram Navami After Ram Mandir Consecration

Ram Navami is set to be a grand affair in Ayodhya with a huge influx of devotees expected in the temple town for Ram Lalla’s darshan. This year’s celebration holds special significance as it marks the first Ram Navami after the consecration of the Ram Mandir earlier this year.

Ram Mandir chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das says there is excitement in the air ahead of the Ram Navami celebration on Wednesday. “Lord Ram’s birth will be celebrated on a big scale.”

“The temple will be opened at 3:30 am and will remain open until 11pm. During that period visitors will come for darshan and we will simultaneously perform Abhishek and other rituals like adorning the idol with clothes,” Acharya Satyendra Das said in an interview with Outlook.

“Everyone who will come will get a chance for darshan on the auspicious day.”

The newly inaugurated temple will also receive 1,11,111 kilograms of laddoos in prasad from Devraha Hans Baba Trust.

The chief priest said there were talks of CM Yogi Adityanath visiting the Ram Mandir on Wednesday, however nothing was confirmed yet.

“Now it’ll ultimately be the administration’s decision,” he said.

According to PTI reports, All VIP passes for the new Ram temple in Ayodhya have been cancelled for three days up to April 18, in anticipation of a heavy footfall of visitors.

"In such a situation, a new guideline has been issued by the trust to ensure easy darshan for all devotees. A decision was taken during a temple construction committee meeting that there will be no VIP and VVIP darshan from April 15 to 18," Temple trust member Anil Mishra told PTI.

According to a statement by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, The Shringar Aarti will take place at 5:00am and viewing of the Ram idol will continue simultaneously. The curtain will be drawn for brief intervals when Ram Lalla will be offered bhog.

Preparations are underway for a special ceremony called "Surya Tilak" at noon. Lenses and mirrors will be used to direct sunlight onto Ram Lalla's forehead in the inner sanctum of the temple.

A service centre has also been set up for devotees, at the foot of Sugreev fort opposite Birla Dharmashala, near the entrance of the temple. 

The frequency of buses from the state capital, Lucknow, to Ayodhya was also increased between April 15 and 20 to accommodate the higher demand from devotees travelling to Ayodhya.

Ram Janmotsav will also be broadcast on around 100 big LED screens so people can view from their homes.

Security has been tightened, and police officers have been deployed to manage traffic, especially around Ram Mandir and Ayodhya Dham, where the Ram Navami mela is taking place.