Ramnagari Ayodhya is currently immersed in a tidal wave of devotion as thousands of devotees from across the country throng the sacred city to seek darshan of Ram Lalla. The religious fervour has intensified as the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in the Ram temple approaches, attracting an increasing number of pilgrims each day.
The number of devotees has seen a remarkable surge, doubling in recent times, with a corresponding increase in offerings to Ram Lalla. The month of December witnessed a generous donation of Rs 2 crore to the deity, a figure that has been sustained into the month of January.
Enthusiasm among the devotees is palpable as they arrive in Ayodhya daily for darshan of Ram Lalla before the consecration ceremony. The influx of visitors has translated into a surge in contributions, with an average offering of three to four lakh rupees per day, filling Ram Lalla’s donation box, commonly referred to as the ‘Hundi’.
Prakash Gupta, the in-charge of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust office, said that the donations to Ram Lalla had doubled, surpassing the previous monthly average of around Rs 1 crore.
In December alone, devotees contributed Rs 90 lakh in cash in the donation box, with additional offerings received through online transactions, cheques and RTGS, collectively amounting to Rs 2 crore.
Even in January, the momentum of generosity continues, with devotees contributing two to three lakh rupees daily in cash at the Trust office counters and Darshan Marg. In the first 15 days of January alone, donations have exceeded Rs 1 crore.
Accompanying the surge in offerings is a notable increase in the number of visitors seeking darshan of Ram Lalla. Before December last year, the daily footfall ranged from 15,000 to 20,000 visitors; however, the count has now increased to 25,000 to 30,000 devotees each day.
On January 12, over 27,542 visitors visited Ayodhya, followed by 28,824 visitors on January 13, 34,226 visitors on January 14, 29,456 visitors on January 15 and 31,123 visitors on January 16.
As Ayodhya prepares for the auspicious consecration ceremony, the city resonates with heightened spirituality, drawing devotees from all corners of the nation to partake in this momentous occasion.