Ram Navami celebrations begin in Ayodhya; here is all we know about 'Surya Tilak' of Ram Lalla

IANS

Ayodhya, April 17

A huge rush of devotees is being witnessed in Ayodhya on the occasion of Ram Navami and the Ram temple doors were opened for pilgrims at 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended the period of darshan on the occasion and said that no special darshan will be organised on the day. The earlier passes have also been cancelled.

Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said that during the Ram Navami festival, darshan will continue from 3:30 am in the Brahma Muhurta. Shringaar Aarti of Ram Lalla will take place at 5 a.m.

At the time of offering food to God, the curtain will be drawn for a short period. The sequence of darshan will continue till 11 pm. After this, there will be Bhog and Shayan Aarti as per the routine.

After Shayan Aarti on Ram Navami, prasads will be available at the exit from the temple. Darshan will be facilitated if the devotees keep their mobile, shoes, slippers, big bags and prohibited items safely away from the temple.

The ban on VIP darshan has been extended by one day. Now, there will be no VIP darshan till April 19.

Below Sugriva Fort, in front of Birla Dharamshala, at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi entrance, a passenger service centre has been set up by the temple trust, in which public facilities are available. There are arrangements for the devotees ranging from seating to treatment.

Live telecasts of all the programmes conducted in the temple are being done through LED screens at 100 places in the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation area.

The entire holy city has been decorated and illuminated for the occasion.

The highlight of the festivities will be the Surya Tilak on Wednesday when the Sun's rays will fall on the forehead of Ram Lalla.

The 'Surya tilak' of the deity has been made possible by an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses.

The system was tested by a team on Tuesday.

"The basic objective of the Surya Tilak project is to focus a 'tilak' on the forehead of the Shri Ram idol on every Shri Ram Navami day. Under the project, sunlight will be brought on the forehead of Lord Ram at noon on Shri Ram Navami in the Chaitra month every year," said Dr SK Panigrahi, Scientist at CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, who was associated with the project.

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