The demand for Ramcharitmanas, the holy book based on the life of Lord Ram has increased manifold in the past few days, Lalmani Tiwari, the manager of the Gorakhpur-based Gita Press said on Friday. This comes as the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya is nearing. According to a trustee from the press, an increased demand for Ramcharitmanas has led to the depletion of their entire stock. However, efforts are underway to replenish supplies and meet the rising demand.

“Since the day the dates were announced for the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony, the demand has increased for our books. All our branches are communicating the same things to us. People are getting excited about reading Ramcharitmanas, Hanuman Chalisa and Sunder Kaand. There is limited space and infrastructure here so that is a reason we would not be able to match the demand. Suddenly, the demand has increased recently,” Lalmani Tiwari told ANI.

Devidayal Agarwal, the trustee of the publishing company, also said that Gita Press requires more space to manufacture its copies in large quantities.

“In the last 6 months, demand has skyrocketed, and the supply to fulfil demands seems impossible in the current setup. Gita Press needs a large area to fulfil supply targets,” he said.

The consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple will be held in Ayodhya on January 22. Prime Minister Modi and other BJP leaders will participate in the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony. The PM is expected to follow an 11-day ritual ahead of the consecration event in Ayodhya. In an audio message posted on X earlier, Modi said the consecration evoked sentiments he never felt before. “I am fortunate that I will also be a witness to this auspicious occasion. The Lord has made me an instrument to represent all the people of India during the consecration… I am starting a special ritual of 11 days from today. I am seeking blessings from all the people…” the Prime Minister said.

(With inputs from agencies)