Ayodhya, January 12, 2024: In a bid to ensure that the fervor surrounding the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla on January 22 remains alive, the Sangh Parivar is orchestrating a massive pilgrimage, bringing over one lakh devotees from 28 states and eight Union Territories to Ayodhya. This unique initiative seeks to keep the “Ram Temple light burning in the national consciousness” and express gratitude to those who contributed to the Temple’s construction.
The Sangh Parivar is leaving no stone unturned, organizing guided tours of the Ayodhya Temple for the pilgrims between January 27 and February 22. The meticulous planning includes 44 special trains to transport devotees and the division of the entire country into 45 zones, each with a quota of 1,500 to 2,500 pilgrims. Alok Kumar, VHP president, highlighted, “The VHP owes this responsibility to the people and their families who have sacrificed or made any contribution to the building of the Temple.”
These pilgrims include individuals who played diverse roles in the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi campaign, from karsevaks to financial contributors during the donation collection drive for the Temple. To express gratitude, the VHP has deployed workers across the country, responsible for identifying and arranging the travel of these contributors to Ayodhya.
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal revealed, “Special arrangements will be made for the pilgrims in a tent city in Ayodhya, where they are expected to stay for two days.” To assist those from non-Hindi speaking states, the Sangh Parivar is enlisting its activists from those regions to guide pilgrims through the town and ensure a seamless pilgrimage experience.
“The entire country has been divided into 45 zones, and each zone has a quota of around 1,500 to 2,500 pilgrims who will be traveling. A request has been made to the Ministry of Railways to run 44 special trains for this purpose between January 27 and February 22. Once the pilgrims arrive, their lodging, food, and darshan will all be arranged by us,” said Alok Kumar.
Additionally, the ruling BJP plans to continue the momentum by facilitating about 10,000 people from every Lok Sabha constituency to visit Ayodhya post-January 25, with this initiative expected to continue until the end of March, just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in April-May.
In a grand gesture of unity and devotion, this pilgrimage is not merely an event but a “maha ayojan” (mega event) that aims to solidify the significance of the Ram Temple in the hearts of devotees nationwide.
