The doors of the Ram temple in Ayodhya opened to the general public on Tuesday, a day after the consecration of the new Ram Lalla idol. Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das, however, said it is unlikely that everyone would be able to have a ‘darshan’ (viewing) of the new Ram Lalla idol as the temple town saw lakhs of devotees turning up to offer prayers on Tuesday.

“So much crowd has gathered here today that not everyone will be able to have darshan today and the same crowd will be visible tomorrow and for the next few days,” Satyendra Das said.

While a huge crowd of devotees thronged the gates of Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Acharya Satyendra Das said it seemed that the temple city had gone back to the times of ‘Treta Yug’ when Lord Ram used to live.

“After the pran pratishtha ceremony, the (Ayodhya) Nagari has turned pure. In the Treta Yug when Lord Ram came back, the Ayodhya nagari was delighted…A glimpse of the Treta Yug is visible today. So many Bhakts have come to Ayodhya now and Jai Shree Ram chants are echoing here, it seems that we have gone back to Ayodhya during the Treta Yug times,” Satyendra Das told news agency ANI.

Speaking on the reason for the large crowd on Tuesday, the chief priest said, “4,000 saints have come. Every priest from across the country has brought along 2-4 people with them. This has led to an extensive crowd.”

The Acharya added that it is worth seeing the excitement in the devotees who have gathered in thousands to give a glimpse of Lord Ram Lalla.

“Ayodhya is Rammay. It is divine and beautiful. The decorated Mandir is worth seeing. It is worth seeing how people are excited to see Lord Ram,” he added.

Ram temple rituals

Satyendra Das said the aarti was held at 6:30am. “A new system has to be made about the aarti and bhog in a few days,” he said.

“Darshan is going on from 6:30am. Both the new idol whose pran pratishtha was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the smaller idols are being worshipped. Devotees are having ‘darshan’,” he added.

Large crowd since Monday night

A large number of devotees, both locals and visitors from other states, gathered near the main gateway along the Ram Path leading to the temple complex late on Monday night, seeking an early entry to the premises the following morning.

As a large crowd gathered during the night near the ceremonial gateway that was decked up for the consecration ceremony — police told the devotees that they would only be allowed to enter the temple the following morning when it opens for the public.

An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, a landmark event led by Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandir’s construction to build the foundation of a “strong, capable and divine” India of the next 1,000 years.

Lakhs of people watched the ‘pran pratishtha (consecration)’ ceremony on television in their homes and neighbourhood temples, savouring the historic moment.

(With inputs from agencies)