On the first day of the New Year, the temple towns of Ayodhya and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh saw an overwhelming influx of devotees. The Ram temple in Ayodhya, which was consecrated on January 22 last year, attracted an estimated 5 lakh visitors, with over two lakh already camped there on New Year’s Eve. Devotees eagerly awaited their turn for ‘darshan’ of the Ram Lalla idol, unveiled at sunrise on New Year’s Day.
In Varanasi, the Kashi Vishwanath temple saw a similar surge, with over 3.5 lakh devotees visiting by the afternoon. Devotees began arriving as early as 3 a.m., continuing through the day. The temple administration, anticipating the high turnout, took necessary precautions, including imposing restrictions such as banning the “touch darshan” and limiting entry into the sanctum sanctorum.
Both Ayodhya and Varanasi had to deploy significant security and crowd management measures to handle the massive crowds. The authorities implemented traffic control, established security zones, and even used drone surveillance to ensure public safety. The rush was driven by the holiday season, with many visitors taking advantage of the break to visit these significant pilgrimage sites. The increase in visitors to Ayodhya was noted as a sign of the town becoming a major pilgrimage destination, even surpassing more traditional tourist spots.
