Ram temple event fervour across the globe: Yatras, rallies, and bhajans from New York to Sydney

Vigyananand added that the programmes were either car rallies, rath yatras or a prabhat pheris (marches undertaken while singing bhajans). The consecration ceremony will also be live- streamed at temples in different countries.

In Paris, a Ram Rath Yatra will be carried out from the Place de la Capelle, an arena in the northern part of the city, to the iconic Eiffel Tower. As part of this, there would also be “chanting of the Shree Ram Dhun, devotional songs, cultural programmes and prasad distribution” at the Eiffel tower.

That rath yatra will start after a puja and a vishwakalyan yagna and pass through notable Parisian landmarks such as the Le Republique, Musee de Louver and Arc de Triomphe.

Elaborating the details of the yatra, programme organiser Avinash Mishra posted on X, “We Indians living in France will be joining the historic and momentous occasion of Shri Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya by organising a Ram Rath Yatra across Paris and a large scale celebration at the Eiffel Tower.”

The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust replied to his post, saying: “It is a blessing for every rambhakt across boundaries to witness the pran pratishtha of Bhagwan Shri Ramlalla Sarkar at his janmshthan in Ayodhya. This cherished moment belongs to rambhakts worldwide, a moment when the hearts of a billion people shall beat as one.”

Devotees in New York will assemble at Times Square on January 22.

In Washington DC, the VHP has organised a car and bike rally on January 20 at the Shri Bhakta Anjaneya Temple.

A VHP volunteer from its DC chapter, Animesh Shukla, took to social media platforms to say: “On January 20, we are having an amazing event expecting more than 1,000 people there. We want the entire Indian community to come together and celebrate this holy and auspicious occasion which is going to come only once in lifetime for all of us.”

After January 22, prasad will be distributed in temples across America, starting from Boston.

In Australia, programmes will be organised at Parramatta Park in Western Sydney and Kingsley Park in Melbourne. Other cities in Australia where VHP will hold programmes with Hindu communities include Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and New South Wales.

“Around 25 to 50 organisations are collectively organising the programmes in Australia,” Vigyananand said.

In Africa, he said, the VHP was organising a car rally and other programmes in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius, Ghana, Nigeria and Mozambique. Similar events have been planned in Buckingham, Bankok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Bali.

Vigyananand said, “The VHP is taking the lead. But it has become a programme of the Hindu samaj. This is a historic occasion for the Hindu community. Hindus are connected and their roots are in India. When something happens in India, it has an effect internationally.”