Ram Mandir ceremony: Around 3 lakh devotees could offer prayers yesterday.
The Ram temple in Ayodhya yesterday witnessed a massive crowd after its grand Monday opening that saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of celebrities descend on the temple town in Uttar Pradesh.
A day later, around 5 lakh devotees braved the harsh winters to turn up at the temple. Around 3 lakh of them could offer prayers during the day while as many were waiting for their turn outside, according to officials.
Even this morning, visuals showed a large number of devotees gathered outside the temple. Over a lakh visitors are expected to offer prayers at the temple every day.
Uttar Pradesh government has sent its Principal Home Secretary Sanjay Prasad and top police officer Prashant Kumar to Ayodhya.
“People have gathered here in huge numbers. Principal Home Secretary and I have been sent here. We have improved the queue system for crowd management. We have made channels for the people,” said Prashant Kumar, DG (Law and Order).
Around 8,000 security personnel from the Uttar Pradesh police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) are deployed at the temple. Eight magistrates are in charge of different spots in the temple.
Praveen Kumar, Inspector-General of Police Ayodhya, urged people not to hurry and schedule their visit after two weeks.
“The crowd is nonstop but preparations are complete. We appeal to the old and Divyang people to schedule their visit after two weeks. I want to appeal to the people that there’s no need to hurry for Darshan. The temple will be opened for everyone with better preparations,” he told news agency ANI.
UP police chief Vijay Kumar had earlier assured that a sufficient number of cops were deployed in the temple premises, especially at points where devotees go for darshan.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram lalla on Monday opened the doors to the temple in a star-studded ceremony, attended by Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Mukesh Ambani and family, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, and other celebrities.