‘Is Ayodhya ready to welcome large number of devotees…’ says Champat Rai on upcoming Ram Navami festivities

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 31 (ANI): Champat Rai, the General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, expressed concerns regarding Ayodhya's preparedness for the upcoming Ram Navami festivities due to the approaching summer season and the large numbers of devotees expected to visit the holy city.
"Devotees between 1 lakh and 1 lakh 50 thousand are coming here to offer prayer to Ram Lalla. The number of devotees has increased after Pran Pratishtha. At the Holi Milan, I received information that a huge crowd came. Ram Navami is coming ahead. But is Ayodhya ready to welcome a large number of guests?" Champat Rai said on Saturday.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram's idol took place on January 22, 2024.
However, Rai highlighted the challenges that Ayodhya faces, particularly concerning the anticipated influx of over 2 lakh guests during Ram Navami.
"Heat is the biggest challenge. More than 2 lakh guests coming here (on Ram Navami) will be a big challenge. water is available, but still, food is a challenge. Till now, no incident of stampede has been witnessed here, and we hope that this will not happen in the future either," Champat Rai said.
"We request that you all be with your groups while visiting the Ram Temple. I also request that the people coming here bring 'sattu' with them and eat it; it will save them from heat. Many suggested organising 'darshan' for 22 hours, but that is also not possible. 'Ram lalla ko 24 ghante jaga kr rakhenge kya?" he added.
Ram Navmi is celebrated all over India every year on the last day of Chaitra Navaratri to mark the birth of Lord Rama. On this auspicious day, young girls, representing the nine forms of the goddess Durga, are offered gifts and Prasad
Meanwhile, with the onset of the summer season and rising temperature, Ram Lalla, the revered deity of the Ayodhya Temple, has transitioned to wearing comfortable cotton attire from Saturday.
Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra posted on X, "The vastra that Prabhu is wearing today is made of handloom cotton malmal, dyed with natural indigo, and adorned with gotta flowers."
This shift to lightweight and breathable fabric reflects a thoughtful consideration for the deity's comfort during the sweltering months ahead.
Ram Lalla, a revered 51-inch idol depicting the youthful form of Lord Rama, affectionately known as "Balak Ram," has been sculpted from a rare three billion-year-old black stone by the skilled Mysuru-based artisan, Arun Yogiraj. (ANI)