25 to 30 lakh people are expected to visit the Ram Temple on Ram Navami: Teerth Kshetra General Secretary

Ayodhya: As anticipation builds for the forthcoming celebration of Ram Navami, the General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, Champat Rai, has announced preparations for an expected arrival of 25-30 lakh visitors to the Shri Ram Temple. "25-30 lakh people are expected to visit the temple. We need to think about how long we need to keep 5-year-old Ram Lalla awake. People can celebrate Ram Navami in their villages as well," Champat Rai said.

Ram Lalla, a revered 51-inch idol depicting the youthful form of Lord Rama, affectionately known as "Balak Ram," has been sculpted from a rare three billion-year-old black stone by the skilled hands of Mysuru-based artisan, Arun Yogiraj. The Pran Pratishtha ceremony for this divine idol took place on January 22, 2024.

Ram Navami is a Hindu festival that is celebrated in order to honour the birth of Lord Vishnu's incarnation, Lord Rama. This day marks the end of the nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations, which are celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra, which falls on the cusp of spring and summer.

Meanwhile, earlier today, Ayodhya's grand Ram temple witnessed its first Holi celebration since its inauguration in January this year. Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a trust constituted to look after the construction and management of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya, shared several pictures of Ram Lalla on its official X page on Tuesday. In the pictures, the priests showered flowers on the idol and played Holi with the deity, along with the offering of 'gulaal' as part of the 'Rangotsav'.

Sharing the pictures on X, the Teerth said, "On Rangotsav, Bhagwan Shri Ramlalla Sarkar is playing Holi with his devotees. Prabhu is also holding a pichkari today." On March 25, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said this year's Holi special was for Lord Ram devotees across the world.

"Today, the entire country is celebrating Holi. My greetings to all citizens of the country...For Lord Ram devotees across the world, this is a special Holi...Today Raghuvir is playing Holi in Awadh. It is a matter of great joy for us," Shah further said. Amidst the revelry, traditional sweets are shared, fostering a sense of amity and togetherness among the people, with revellers exuding the spirit of joy and love. The entire country is undoubtedly intoxicated with the Holi spirit