Ayodhya gears up for Surya Tilak, pilgrim surge on Ram Navami
Learning from the innovations made for crowd control during Mahakumbh 2025, preparations have been made to control the crowd and provide facilities to the devotees
Ayodhya has geared up for a surge of devotees for the grand Ram Navami celebrations on Sunday when Surya Tilak of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple will be the highlight of the festival.
Surya Tilak will result in the Sun’s rays illuminating deity’s forehead at 12 noon, marking the birth of Ram Lalla. The Ayodhya administration is expecting around 20 lakh to 30 lakh devotees on the festive occasion.
Learning from the innovations made for crowd control during Mahakumbh 2025, preparations have been made to control the crowd and provide facilities to the devotees.
Mayor Girishpati Tripathi and municipal commissioner Santosh Kumar Sharma reviewed the preparations on Saturday, focusing on the comfort and safety of devotees.
The municipal corporation has laid out mats on Ram Path to ensure cleanliness and comfort for pilgrims. A large team of sanitation workers has been deployed to maintain hygiene.
Cool drinking water and Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) stations have been set up to combat the heat. Devotees can avail of these facilities free of cost.
Tents have been erected from Shrungar Hata to Hanuman Garhi to provide relief from the sun. Comprehensive crowd and traffic management plans are in place, with paramilitary forces, PAC, and civil police deployed. The NDRF and SDRF teams are on alert on banks of river Saryu River .
Divisional commissioner Gaurav Dayal said all preparations have been completed for Ram Navami.
Dayal said to protect devotees from the sun and heat, arrangements have been made for shade and mats at the major places of Ayodhya Dham, including Ram Temple and Shri Hanumangarhi Darshan Marg.
Public broadcaster Doordarshan will telecast live the celebrations at Ram Janmabhoomi and cultural events at Ram Katha Park.
The Ayodhya administration has made elaborate arrangements and enforced traffic diversions from April 4 till 12 am on April 7 to prevent entry of heavy vehicles, trucks, pickup trucks, tractors among other vehicles from travelling towards Ayodhya district.
The Ayodhya Mela area has been divided into zones and sectors. Zonal magistrates, sector magistrates and gazetted officers of police have also been deployed.
The health department has set up temporary Primary Health Centres at 14 places in the Ayodhya Dham Mela area and deployed an adequate number of doctors.
Similarly, arrangements for 108 ambulances have also been made at around seven places, so that they can be used immediately in case of an emergency.
The Ayodhya Municipal Corporation has deployed a team of dedicated sanitation workers and regular cleaning in the morning, afternoon and evening.
