The Maha Kumbh Mela, held after 144 years, began on Makar Sankranti and will continue until Mahashivratri. In a month, over 50 crore devotees and tourists have participated. Many are also visiting Ayodhya’s Ram Temple after taking a holy dip, with numbers rising daily.
The Ram temple management is facing increasing pressure as devotees from the Maha Kumbh Mela continue arriving in Ayodhya. Daily footfall has exceeded 3-4 lakh, with donation records also being broken. Lakhs of devotees are visiting the temple after taking a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh.
Since January 14, the number of devotees visiting Ayodhya has surged, with over one crore people offering prayers to Shri Ram Lalla in a month. This influx is expected to continue until Mahashivratri. According to Prakash Gupta, in charge of the Ram Temple Trust office, daily donations exceed Rs 10 lakh across 10 counters, totaling over Rs 15 crore during the Maha Kumbh. Six donation boxes near Ram Lalla have also received significant contributions, with some devotees leaving money outside due to the heavy crowd. Before the Maha Kumbh, monthly donations averaged around Rs 3 crore.
A bank has been entrusted with counting donations, using machines for accuracy. A team of 15 bank employees, including senior managers, handles the process under the temple trust’s supervision. After daily counting, the funds are deposited into the trust’s account. On the day of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha, Rs 3.17 crore was donated, followed by over Rs 11 crore in the next 10 days. In August 2024, the Ram Temple Trust reported receiving around Rs 5,000 crore in donations from India and abroad.