Consecration fervour grips Ayodhya: 3 days to go, bhajan, kirtan and religious chants rend the air

Despite the unrelenting cold wave, devotees throng temples since as early as 6am while hundreds also assemble at Ram ki Paidi to take a holy dip in Saryu, before joining morning ‘aarti’ in nearby temples

AYODHYA Ayodhya is soaked in religious fervour with three days to go for the momentous consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla. The echoes of bhajan, kirtan, Ram Katha and religious chants in temples, mutts and parks rent the air with a large number of devotees thronging makeshift tents along side roads offering ‘bhandaras’ (free meals) organised by various organizations.

⦁A huge crowd of devotees gathers near Nepali Baba Ashram as chief minister Yogi Adityanath (unseen) visits the ashram, in Ayodhya on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Despite the unrelenting cold wave, pilgrims and tourists are thronging temples since as early as 6am. Hundreds also assemble at Ram ki Paidi to take a holy dip in Saryu, before joining the morning ‘aarti’ organized in nearby temples.

And this gives flower and sweet vendors brisk business. “A sleepy town is now abuzz with actvities as thousands of people from across the country have arrived. The economy of the town is set to boom,” said Ram Kumar, a store owner.

Policemen deployed in the temple town are on their toes to streamline movement of pilgrims while barriers have been erected in the lanes to check movement of vehicles towards the Ramjanmabhoomi area even as hordes of devotees move to have a glimpse of the temple from a distance.

Mahant Ram Nayan Das of Dashrath temple said, “The bhandara for pilgrims is continuing round the clock. People are donating edible items, oil and vegetables at temples and mutts for bhandara. The service is for people, majority of whom have come from rural areas.”

The influx of visitors from outside Ayodhya is also giving good business to local shopkeepers selling photos of Lord Ram, Hanuman, saffron flags and other religious items.

“The is huge demand for the table-top model of Ram Temple, T-shirt, stole, key-ring and small flags that people are taking back home from our shops,” said Anand Gupta, one of the shopkeepers on the Hanuman Garhi road, the 1-km market stretch packed with visitors.

Such is the fervour that people click selfies standing in front of temples and make videos amid chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. A special band performance was organised at the entrance of Hanuman Garhi temple while chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited the temple and offered prayers here on Friday.

“Earlier, business in Ayodhya was dependent on Ram Navami, Sawan, and Kartik melas. But with the announcement of consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla, religious fervour gained momentum since January 1. We hope, footfall of visitors will go up further in coming weeks,” said a shopkeeper. Shops on the entire stretch have been painted in the same colour to maintain a consistent look and showcase its rich heritage.