Cycle of faith: Marathon pedallers reach Ayodhya, one from Ahmedabad

Ayodhya: Dressed in a saffron robe embossed with 'Jai Shri Ram', 63-year-old Nemaram Prajapati blows a conch as his 'damru' beats announce his arrival in the 'land of Lord Ram'.

Prajapati was on the Ram Path near the ornate ceremonial gateway to the Ram temple site here after completing a gruelling barefoot cycle journey from Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday.

"I have not worn a pair of shoes since 1992, my resolution was that I will do so only after a Ram temple is built in Ayodhya. And, I have reached Ayodhya cycling from Ahmedabad barefoot to pay my obeisance to Prabhu Ram," Prajapati said.

He claimed that he has been cycling for the 'last 20 years' on different annual 'Bharat Bharaman Yatras'.

Prajapati's bicycle, which he calls 'Ram Rath', is bedecked with images of Lord Ram, Lord Hanuman, Bharat Mata, saffron flags, peacock wings, decorative bells, many 'damru' and a small trident. The tricolour is planted on the front and back sides of his humble ride.

A father of three, Prajapati wears a cap to protect himself from the cold and over it a brown helmet with 'Jai Shri Ram' written on it.

A board in the front of his bicycle pronounces his Ahmedabad-Ayodhya yatra began on December 2 last year and covered holy sites in Rajasthan as well.

"My first yatra was 20 years ago when I visited the Amarnath shrine. This time, I started from Ahmedabad, and had planned to cycle to Ayodhya to reach before the 'Pran Pratishtha' of the Ram temple. I will return home after having a 'darshan' of Ram Lalla," Prajapati told PTI.

The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple will take place on January 22, and security has been stepped up in the temple town, with police commandos patrolling the city.

The entire temple town is drenched in religious fervour and chants of 'Sita Ram' and 'Jai Hanuman' emerging out of temples, small and big alike, can be heard practically in every corner.

As Prajapati pedals his way on Ram Path, 'Aarti ki Jai Hanuman Lalla ki' plays on a small speaker he carries in a basket on his cycle.

Om Bhagat, 47, who now calls himself 'Buddha Uncle', is also on an all-India cycle tour. He reached Ayodhya on Thursday.

A board in the front of his bicycle displays the date of start of his arduous journey -- 'Poorna Bharat Parikrama' on May 5, 2023 form Faridabad, Haryana.

"I have covered 20,000 km and Uttar Pradesh is the 16th state, I have covered so far. I have to do all 4,000 cities, 741 districts. But, I wanted to be in Ayodhya at this this time, so I planned my pedal journey accordingly," Bhagat told PTI.

He will stay in Ayodhya till the day of the consecration ceremony here.

A Saharanpur native, on his bicycle he carries a solar panel, a bag that carries essential items needed for road journey. "I also carry a collapsible tent. Except a kitchen, I basically have a survival kit."

Sporting a silver beard, pink cap, a fancy pair of shades, two layers of warm jackets and a pair of sports shoes, his presence in the temple town generates curiosity among people.

"I have come to Ayodhya for the first time. Everyone is getting swept in the devotion of Lord Ram, and one can feel it here the most. The feeling is amazing," said Bhagat, as a small saffron flag bearing the image of Lord Ram and the 'Jai Shri Ram', planted near the cycle's handle, fluttered in the air.

Sharing the itinerary of his journey, he said, his first stop was city of Lord Krishna, Mathura-Vrindavan, and then he moved to Khatu Shyam temple in Rajasthan, and covered well-known Hindu shrines such as Mata Vaishno Devi, Naina Devi and Jwala ji.

"I also visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, all four dhams, Rishikesh, Ujjain's Mahakal temple, 10 our if 12 Jyotirlinga sites and the Ashtvinayak temple and Dwarkadhish temple in Gujarat. From West Bengal and Bihar, I then entered Ayodhya," he added.

Asked about the challenges he faced during his journey, besides the weather extremities in these months, he said, "In Tamil Nadu, I faced some language issues. India is a very beautiful country, which I have experienced myself over the last about 250 days."

The best thing was enthusiasm of people that was seen, he added.

Sanjay Singh, a traffic sub-inspector, who has come to Ayodhya on duty, posed for pictures with Bhagat.

"A person should have the zeal and zest, then one can do anything. I am feeling very good, Lord Ram called me. I have come from Saharanpur and we have to stay here till January 31," he said.

Bilasi Ram, 65, has also reached Ayodhya, pedalling all the way from Bareilly, about 500 km away.

"I started my journey on January 12 and reached Ayodhya late night on Wednesday. I also carried five bricks with me, which I have given for Ramjanmabhoomi temple," he told PTI as saffron flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman tied on both sides of his cycle fluttered.

Asked what prompted him to undertake the journey in biting cold, Ram said, "I am not doing it myself, Lord Ram asked me to. Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman are inseparable."