A massive crowd at the main gateway leading to the Ram temple complex, as it opened its doors to the general public a day after the consecration ceremony, in Ayodhya, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
In an apparent bid to tackle the huge rush of devotees at the Ram Temple since the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Khestra Trust has allowed darshan from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm, allowing only 20 minutes of "rest" to 'Balak Ram', the name given to the deity.
The timings earlier were 6.30 in the morning to 12 PM and then from 2.30 PM to 7 PM.
According to officials in Ayodhya, the entire route from Ram Path to Ram Janmabhoomi has been barricaded, with additional barricades erected inside the Temple complex to regulate the crowds of devotees. Despite their numbers being significantly fewer compared to Tuesday and Wednesday, devotees continued to flock to the Temple in large numbers.
Officials said that bus services to Ayodhya continued to remain suspended for the second day on Thursday.
According to the officials, an estimated 50 thousand devotees had visited the Ram Temple by noon on Thursday. The devotees also took a dip in the sacred Saryu river on the occasion of 'Paush Purnima' and then proceeded to have darshan at the temple.
The temple town returned to normalcy on Thursday after two days of chaos following the consecration ceremony on Monday, during which lakhs of devotees descended on the Ram Temple for darshan, disrupting the arrangements.
The state government has also requested VIPs planning to visit Ayodhya to notify the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Khestra Trust at least seven days prior to their visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated the idol of Ram Lalla on Monday in a ceremony attended by around eight thousand people, including prominent personalities from Bollywood, industry, cricketers, and other fields.