Beginning Friday, February 16th, the Ram temple in Ayodhya will observe a daily one-hour closure from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM, Chief Priest Acharya Satyendra Das announced.
This decision, attributed to the "stress" of extended darshan timings on the "five-year-old" deity, comes amidst a surge in devotees visiting the temple after its recent consecration ceremony.
To accommodate the high influx of devotees, the temple trust extended darshan hours from 6 AM to 10 PM. However, concerns arose regarding the long duration, prompting the new closure period.
Traditionally, the deity underwent morning rituals starting at 4 AM, followed by darshan from 6 AM.
The extended evening darshan is a recent adaptation due to the increased demand.
Das explained the closure as necessary to offer "rest" to the deity, drawing an analogy to a five-year-old child.
This reasoning has sparked discussions about balancing religious practices with considerations for managing crowds and devotee needs.
Prior to the consecration ceremony, darshan occurred from 7 AM to 6 PM with a two-hour afternoon break.
The current situation reflects the significant increase in visitors and the challenges of accommodation.
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