The doors of the Ram temple in Ayodhya opened to the general public on Tuesday, a day after the consecration of the new Ram Lalla idol.
A large number of devotees, both locals and visitors from other states, gathered near the main gateway along the Ram Path leading to the temple complex late on Monday night, seeking an early entry to the premises the following morning.
As a large crowd gathered during the night near the ceremonial gateway that was decked up for the consecration ceremony -- police told the devotees that they would only be allowed to enter the temple the following morning when it opens for the public.
An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandir's construction to build the foundation of a "strong, capable and divine" India of the next 1,000 years.
Lakhs of people watched the 'pran pratishtha (consecration)' ceremony on television in their homes and neighbourhood temples, savouring the historic moment.
A bevy of artistes performed folk dances, a 'palki yatra' was conducted by a religious troupe from Bhopal and scores of devotees from Ayodhya and other cities chanted "Jai Shri Ram" in the streets of the temple town as the ceremony unfolded.
"January 22, 2024, is not merely a date in the calendar but heralds the advent of a new era," Modi said after he performed a series of rituals in the 'garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum)' with the consecration taking place during an 84-second 'Abhijeet muhurta' starting at 12.29 pm.
The prime minister also prostrated himself before the 51-inch idol that depicts the child Ram.
"Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our Ram has arrived. Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple," Modi said in his address to the invitees, which included seers, leading figures from different fields and those part of the decades-long Ram Janmabhoomi movement for building the temple.
A large number of the invitees, including seers, later had a 'darshan' of the deity soon after the consecration ceremony ended.
For the general public, the doors of the temple opened on Tuesday morning.
Despite restrictions on vehicular and pedestrian movement on Monday, a large number of devotees, including those from other cities, lined a section of the Ram Path on both sides and milled around at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, eager to enter the temple complex.
Anurag Sharma from Rajasthan's Sikar was seen walking around with a model of the temple on the day of the consecration ceremony.
"I brought this model with me from my hometown. I arrived on the inaugural flight to Ayodhya and I have been here since then. I will go back only after having a 'darshan' of Ram Lalla," he told PTI.
The temple complex, built in the traditional Nagara style, is 380 feet long from the east to the west, 250 feet wide and will eventually rise to 161 feet at the 'shikhar'. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors.
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