The Ayodhya administration is actively preparing to facilitate the progress of pilgrims during the upcoming significant event following the consecration ceremony in January. This occasion, known as ‘Ram Navami,’ marks the first festivity subsequent to the temple’s inauguration, anticipated to draw the largest influx of devotees ever witnessed.
Ram Navami, commemorating the birth of Lord Ram, is slated for the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, falling on April 17. Deliberations are underway between members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust and district authorities, primarily focusing on crowd control challenges and the provision of amenities for pilgrims arriving in Ayodhya three days ahead of the festival, with their stay extending two to three days post-celebrations.
Strategies are being devised by the administration to ensure the orderly and safe ingress and egress at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, while the Trust is contemplating various entry and exit points for devotees to avert potential stampede scenarios.
Official sources reveal concerted efforts to guarantee the well-being and convenience of devotees during Ram Navami, including provisions of water and mats on open grounds, mindful of the impending warm weather conditions.
A senior official articulated, “Continuous medical services with additional beds will be available in both government health facilities and private hospitals. Traffic management will be optimized, and vigilance will be exercised to identify and deter criminal elements among visitors. Adequate supplies of essentials such as milk, sugar, tea, grains, and vegetables will be ensured in accommodations like dharamshalas, temples, tent cities, and hotels accommodating pilgrims.”
The administration is also orchestrating comprehensive arrangements for a dip in the Saryu river, emphasizing the provision of public lavatories and regular sanitation upkeep, engaging over 2,000 sanitation workers. Trustee of Ram Temple Trust, Anil Mishra, highlighted the anticipation of a substantial congregation in Ayodhya before, during, and after Ram Navami, prompting meticulous planning encompassing security measures, streamlined darshan (sightseeing) experiences, and resolution of potential issues.
Mishra further noted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s oversight of arrangements, with the Trust devising optimal management strategies for all visitors. Ram Navami festivities will commence with a sunrise prayer to the sun deity, followed by a special midday ritual commemorating Lord Ram’s purported birth. Devotees will engage in devotional hymns extolling Lord Ram and gently sway images of him in a cradle to honor his birth.
Chariot processions, known as Rath yatras, featuring representations of Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and devotee Hanuman, will traverse from numerous temples, converging at the sacred banks of the River Saryu for purifying dips.