Ayodhya adds another grand event to its calendar: 9-day Ramnavami celebrations

The Trust has formed an organising committee comprising around 30 members with each assigned a particular task. Senior mahants in Ayodhya like Kamal Nayan Das, Ram Sharan Das, Bharat Das, senior VHP leader Rajendra Singh Pankaj, Sharad Sharma, RSS functionaries LK Singh and Vikrama Pandey are members of the organising committee that met last Friday to discuss the preparations with Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Trust, and Anil Mishra, a member of the Trust.

The celebration of Ramnavami on a grand scale in Ayodhya comes a year ahead of the temple construction deadline. Recently, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah had announced that the Ram temple would be ready on January 1 next year.

On the ground too, the construction work is moving at a fast pace with over 550 people employed in two shifts to ensure that the main sanctum sanctorum of the temple is completed by October this year, and the Ram idol is installed by the end of the year.

Sources said that Ramjanam Mahotsav was celebrated in Chaitra Ramnavami in the past too at the makeshift Ram temple and in presence of priests and security as well as administrative staff. . But for the first time, it will be celebrated this year with public participation.

“In the past, only parikrama of Ramjanam Mahotsav used to be held. But this time, various religious and sports activities will also be organised along with parikrama to connect the people with the celebrations,” VHP leader Sharad Sharma, who is the publicity-in-charge of the organising committee told The Indian Express.

“Just like Holi and Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated on a grand scale in Mathura, the Ramjanam Mahotsav too is going to be celebrated with fervour in Ayodhya,” he added.

“Common people in Ayodhya are happy with the construction of Ram temple and the development projects in the town. Hence, they want that Ramjanam Mahotsav is celebrated with fervour,” Trust member Anil Mishra said.

“Such religious programmes will maintain enthusiasm among the people about Ayodhya and Ram temple till the temple is completed,” said another local VHP leader.

For the last five years, the BJP government in UP has been organising a grand Deepotsav during the Diwali festival in Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, seven stones have been brought to Ayodhya from different places, including Nepal, Mysuru and Jaipur for the statues. These stones have been placed at the workshop in Karsevakpuram.