As the new year approaches, the temple town of Ayodhya is bracing for a significant influx of devotees and tourists, marking the end of the first English calendar year since the grand consecration ceremony at the Ram Mandir on January 22. With nearly all accommodations in Ayodhya and neighbouring Faizabad fully booked, the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended 'darshan' timings for devotees and made extensive arrangements to manage the anticipated crowd.
Ankit Mishra, owner of a local hotel in Ayodhya, told PTI, “We are ready to welcome the devotees this new year. All our rooms have been booked in advance till January 15.”
While many hotels are fully booked, some online booking platforms still show availability, although prices have surged, with some establishments charging upwards of ₹10,000 per night due to high demand.
Ayodhya has experienced a notable increase in religious tourism since the consecration ceremony earlier this year.
While the Hindu new year in Chaitra (March-April) traditionally holds significance, there is also a rising devotional fervour associated with the English new year.
To facilitate smooth crowd management and ensure safety, Ayodhya's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajkaran Nayyar announced robust security arrangements at key sites including the Ram Temple, Hanumangarhi, Lata Chowk, Guptar Ghat, and Surajkund.
The temple trust has implemented extended 'darshan' timings and strategic arrangements to provide a seamless experience for all devotees.
A representative from the Ram Mandir trust stated, “Extended 'darshan' timings and strategic arrangements have been made to ensure a seamless experience for all the devotees.” These preparations are particularly crucial between December 30 and the first two weeks of January when visitor numbers are expected to peak.
The consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and drew hundreds from various walks of life. This event marked a significant upsurge in tourism activities in Ayodhya as well as throughout Uttar Pradesh. According to state tourism department statistics, approximately 32.18 crore tourists visited Uttar Pradesh in 2022, which increased to 32.98 crore in just the first six months of 2024.
The government noted that following the inauguration of the grand Ram Temple in January last year, Uttar Pradesh saw a remarkable rise in tourist influx. In January alone, a record-breaking seven crore tourists visited various sites across the state, marking it as one of the highest monthly visitor counts ever recorded.
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