Religious fervour grips Ayodhya as Ram Temple 'Pran Pratishtha' nears

Couplets from Ram Charit Manas about the life and deeds of Lord Rama is the favored soundtrack at shops and temples in Ayodhya right now.

Hazar baar zamana idhar se guzra hai, nai nai si hai kuch teri rahguzar phir bhi. (People have passed through this place a thousand times, yet it looks new.)

Ayodhya: The famous lines authored by the well known Urdu Poet Raghupati Sahay, popularly known as Firaq Gorakhpuri, appear to be true to those coming to Ayodhya. They may have visited the town earlier many times but the town has taken on a new look amid the preparations for the much awaited 'Pran Pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony at the newly constructed Ram Temple on Monday.

Couplets from Ram Charit Manas about the life and deeds of Lord Rama is the favored soundtrack at shops and temples. Homes are bedecked as locals greet visitors as they pass through the lanes and streets, many of which are still narrow and cramped but neat and clean and well decorated with flowers and large cut outs and pictures of Lord Rama.

For Ram bhakts, Lord Rama is "coming to Ayodhya after 500 years," referring to when Mughal emperor Babar constructed the now-destroyed Babri mosque in the 16th century.

''Mere prabhu 500 saal baad Ayodhyaji aa rahen hain.....khushi to hogi hi'' (My beloved Shri Ram is arriving in Ayodhya after 500 years....I am naturally very happy), said 65-year old saffron clad Shanti Devi, a resident of the town.

She continues, saying, "Enter Ayodhya and do everything keeping Shri Ram in your heart... for such a person even poison turns into nector, enemies become friends, the size of the sea is reduced to the hoof of a cow and the fire turns cold." After saying her piece, Shanti Devi heads towards one of the temples to attend the recital of the Ram Charit Manas.

The entire town — from Saket Degree College to Naya Ghat on the bank of the Saryu river as well as the winding lanes lined up with hundreds of small and temples and mutts — is reverberating with chants of 'Jai Shri Ram, Jai Jai Siya-Ram'.

Not only is the town filled with the devotees and security personnel on alert, the banks of the Saryu river too is crowded with the people.

The state government plans to develop an inland waterways on the lines of Ganga in Varanasi. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inaugurated the solar boat transportation in Saryu river here.

The Ram Temple complex has been beautifully decorated with fresh flowers. The entry gate of the complex has been decorated with attractive floral designs and the statues of elephants with their protruding trunks have also been decorated with marigold flowers. ''These flowers are fresh and their fragrance will remain till the consecration ceremony,'' said one of the workers who was busy decorating.

Ayodhya has turned into a fortress with an unprecedented security arrangements and thousands of security personnel have been deployed. The town has been closed to outsiders since Friday night and only people with valid passes are being allowed in.

The borders of the town have been sealed. Although the shops are open but barricades have been erected around them. Even the entry points into the main town from the lanes have been closed.

The district administration tasks are being directed by the chief minister to ensure that the residents of the town do not face any shortage of essential commodities owing to the security measures. According to the sources arrangements have been made for parking of more than 22 thousand vehicles.