Ayodhya is decked up for a massive influx of tourists who are expected to descend into the holy city during the busy New Year period to pay obeisance at the newly constructed Ram Mandir. With the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of the temple coming up on January 22 and Maha Kumbh set to kick off in the neighbouring city of Prayagraj as well, authorities have anticipated a massive footfall and increased security measures.
According to the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation, around 2.5 crore devotees are likely to visit the town from January 13 to February 12. Authorities of the civic body are also expecting a footfall of about three to five lakh devotees in the temple town on New Year's Day.
As per a PTI report, nearly all hotels and accommodations in Ayodhya and Faizabad are fully booked, prompting the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to extend the "darshan" timings for devotees.
"Extended 'darshan' timings and strategic arrangements have been made to ensure a seamless experience for all the devotees," a representative from the Ram Mandir Trust stated.
Meanwhile, Ankit Mishra, owner of a local hotel in Ayodhya, told the news wire: "We are ready to welcome the devotees this new year. All our rooms have been booked in advance till January 15."
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Ram Mandir
Ever since the temple was consecrated last year, Ayodhya has become a hub of tourists. According to the state tourism department, 32.98 crore tourists visited Uttar Pradesh in the first six months of 2024 with Ayodhya and Varanasi accounting for the majority of numbers.
"Following the inauguration of the grand Ram temple in January last year, Uttar Pradesh saw a significant rise in tourist influx within the first six months. In January alone, a record-breaking seven crore tourists visited, marking the highest number of visitors to any place in a single month," the government said.
Notably, the Ram Mandir is central to the beliefs of Hindus and has been built after a long legal battle which culminated in 2019. According to the Supreme Court verdict, the land upon which the Babri Masjid once stood, was allotted to the Hindu side. Meanwhile, the Muslims were granted a piece of land to build a mosque, far away from the contentious spot.
The entire temple complex has been built in the traditional Nagara style. Once finished around September 2025, the temple will be 380 feet long, 250 feet wide and 161 feet high. Each floor of the temple will be 20 ft high with a total of 392 pillars and 44 gates.
