Ayodhya, Jan 11: Ayodhya is witnessing a massive influx of devotees as the city gears up to celebrate the first anniversary of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Temple.

The consecration ceremony was originally held last year on January 22, during Shukla Paksha, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the rituals. This year, the anniversary falls on January 11, in alignment with Shukla Paksha as per the Hindu calendar.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is set to visit Ayodhya on Saturday to oversee arrangements at the temple. The city is hosting a three-day series of cultural and spiritual programmes to mark the occasion.

Speaking to IANS, devotees expressed joy over the construction of the Ram Temple and the grand arrangements made for the celebrations.

Many praised the efforts of the Yogi Adityanath-led state government and the Central government under Prime Minister Modi for fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the temple.

A group of 22 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh shared their excitement, saying, "We are thrilled to be here. We missed attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony last year, but this time, we made sure to visit with our entire family."

A devotee from Delhi said, "PM Modi is doing remarkable work. The development in Ayodhya is impressive. It's an amazing experience to be here."

Arun Kumar from Chandigarh, a member of the Adiyogi group that performs Ramleela, expressed his emotions, saying, "I've been part of Ramleela for 12 years, but visiting the Ram Temple is unparalleled. We also visited Hanuman Garhi and urged everyone to visit the temple at least once. The arrangements for darshan are excellent."

To commemorate the occasion, various spiritual and cultural events are being held. The day began with an Agnihotra ceremony, accompanied by mantras from the Shukla Yajurveda, conducted from 8 am to 11 am and will continue from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Chanting of six lakh Shri Ram Mantras, recitation of the Ram Raksha Stotra, and Hanuman Chalisa are also part of the day's events.

At the temple's ground floor, Rag Seva was held and a unique highlight was nine-year-old Vedika Jaiswal from Maharashtra, dressed as Lord Ram.

Her mother, Diksha Jaiswal, said, "Last year, people remarked how much my daughter resembled Lord Ram. She is deeply spiritual, and I decided to dress her as Lord Ram for this special occasion."

Other activities included a musical recitation of the Ramcharitmanas on the first floor of the passenger convenience centre, Ram Katha at Angad Tila, and a discourse on the Ramcharitmanas alongside cultural performances.

The Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust reported that over 200,000 devotees visited the temple on January 1, the first day of the year, to offer prayers. The ongoing celebrations continue to draw large crowds, reflecting the devotion and enthusiasm of the faithful.

--IANS

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