After the historic 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony for Ram Lalla on Monday, the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was overrun by throngs of devotees on Tuesday, leading to scenes of chaos and injuries.
Driven by a surge of religious fervor and the desire to offer prayers after the temple's grand opening, devotees began arriving as early as 3 a.m., overwhelming security measures and causing a state of disorder. Despite the temple's immense significance, managing the sheer volume of pilgrims proved challenging, with several devotees sustaining injuries in the crush. Emergency services were quickly deployed to provide medical attention to those affected.
The influx of devotees, many who had camped outside the temple gates since late Monday night, exceeded all expectations. With crowds far exceeding capacity, authorities were forced to close the Darshan gates at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, leaving many devout pilgrims disappointed.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Trust had previously established daily darshan timings of 7:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Darshan of the Jagaran/Shringar Aarti at 6:30 a.m. or the Sandhya Aarti at 7:30 p.m. requires free passes obtainable offline with valid ID proof or online.
Monday's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony marked a momentous occasion for Hindus worldwide, culminating in the unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol after extensive rituals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the ceremony, attended by approximately 8,000 invitees, including prominent religious and political figures.