Devotees from across the country are thronging Ayodhya as the first floor of the Ram Temple -- transformed into a grand Ram Darbar -- was officially opened for public darshan on Saturday. The decision to open the sanctified first floor was taken by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust after consultations with the local administration.
To manage the expected surge in footfall, a pass system has been introduced, similar to that is used for Ram Lalla's darshan.Only a limited number of visitors were allowed on Saturday, with 300 passes allocated across two time slots -- from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Of these, 150 passes are managed by the district administration and the remaining 150 by the temple trust.The 300 passes for each slot are further categorised into 100 'Special Darshan' and 50 'Easy Access Darshan' passes to streamline the flow and accommodate those with special needs.
Despite the intense summer heat, long queues of enthusiastic devotees were seen outside the temple premises. Many expressed a deep sense of fulfilment and spiritual joy upon reaching the temple."We have been standing here for an hour now, but we are happy to be here. It's very hot, but we want to have darshan of Ram Lalla," said one devotee, patiently waiting in the queue.
Another added, "After coming here, all the tiredness goes away. Even after a long journey in this heat, we feel blessed."The newly unveiled Ram Darbar features a majestic idol of Lord Ram in his royal form, flanked by idols of Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughan, and Hanuman, set in a regal tableau that showcases the grandeur of the divine court.
Earlier, on June 5, the consecration of the Ram Darbar was marked by the installation of eight idols in newly constructed temples within the complex.These include Lord Shiva in the northeast, Lord Ganesha in the southeast, Lord Hanuman in the southern wing, Surya (Sun God) in the southwest, Goddess Bhagwati in the northwest, and Goddess Annapurna in the northern wing -- each placed according to traditional Vastu principles.