Hyderabad Man Undertakes 8,000 km Trek To Ayodhya, Carrying Golden Slippers For Ram Mandir

Challa Srinivas Sastry, a 64-year-old from Hyderabad, embarked on an 8,000-kilometer pilgrimage to Ayodhya, bearing gold-plated footwear worth Rs 65 lakh intended for Lord Ram. His journey, aligned with the Ram Temple inauguration on January 22, mirrors Lord Ram's revered 'Vanavas' (exile) route in reverse.

Following the Ayodhya-Rameswaram trail, Sastry's mission involves presenting the precious gold article, supplementing his earlier donation of five silver bricks to the Ram Temple. Commencing his odyssey on July 20, he retraces Lord Ram's path in reverse, honoring sacred locations like Shiva Lingas established by Lord Ram along the way.

Covering significant landmarks such as Puri in Odisha, Trimbak in Maharashtra, and Dwaraka in Gujarat, Sastry endeavors to reach Ayodhya within the next 10 days. Carrying a gold-plated pair of 'padukalu' (footwear) crafted with 'panch dhatu' (five metals) for Ram Lall's idol, he plans to present it to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath upon arrival in Ayodhya.

Inspired by the meticulous research of Dr. Ramavatar, a retired Income Tax Department official, who meticulously mapped Lord Ram's exile route, Sastry expressed his profound motivation. "My father was a devout devotee of Lord Hanuman and participated in 'kar seva' in Ayodhya. His dream was to witness the Ram temple's construction. With his passing, I've taken it upon myself to fulfill his wish," shared Sastry as quoted by news agency PTI.

Despite a brief pause in his march for a UK visit, Sastry resumed his pilgrimage from Tamil Nadu, currently traversing Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh, approximately 272 km from Ayodhya, accompanied by five fellow pilgrims.

As the founder of the Ayodhya Bhagyanagar Sitarama Foundation, Sastry envisions a permanent settlement in Ayodhya, planning the construction of a residence in the sacred city.

On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate a magnificent Ram Temple at Lord Ram's birthplace.