Ayodhya: Over 2 Lakh Devotees Visit Ram Temple On First Day Of 2025

(MENAFN- Live Mint) As the new year began on Wednesday, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday witnessed an unprecedented rush of devotees to pay homage to the deity of Ram Lalla.

Devotees started arriving from 7:00 AM on January 1, 2025 at the temple. Entry will be allowed until 9:00 PM tonight.

According to local administration estimates, over two lakh devotees had already set up camps in Ayodhya on New Year Eve. On Wednesday morning, approximately three lakh more people arrived to pay homage to the deity of Ram Lalla .

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“Today, on January 1, 2025, from 7:00 AM onwards, devotees have been continuously having divine Darshans of Prabhu Shri Ram Lalla Sarkar. Devotees are having darshan through five queues without interruption. It is estimated that over 200,000 devotees have already had darshan so far. Entry will continue until 9:00 PM tonight,” said Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai said the entire world is celebrating the New Year according to the Gregorian calendar. The winter season coupled with a holiday break contributed to the high number of visitors.

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With schools, courts and agricultural work closed for the season, he said, "People often take vacations during this time. Increasingly, Ayodhya has become a prime destination for pilgrims instead of more traditional tourist spots like Goa, Nainital, Shimla or Mussoorie."

On Tuesday also, lakhs of pilgrims paid their homage at the Ram Temple.

The temple was consecrated on January 22 last year.

Heavy police was deployed to manage the large crowds and traffic restrictions were also imposed and round-the-clock vehicle inspections were conducted.

Similar scenes unfolded at the Hanumangarhi temple, where the crowds remained steady from the early morning 'aarti' until the 'shayan aarti' in the evening.

To accommodate the massive influx, the administration had prepared 10 additional visitor galleries along the Ram Janmabhoomi path, expanding the number of darshan lines from 10 to 20. Special security measures were also enforced to ensure the safety of the devotees.

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