India Marks Ram Navami with Grand Celebrations, Ayodhya Leads

On Wednesday, Ram Navami was celebrated across India with joyous processions and special prayers. The Ram temple in Ayodhya witnessed grand festivities to mark the first Ram Navami after its consecration, a day described as a generational milestone by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi greeted people on the festival, which commemorates the birth of Lord Ram, saying the occasion weaves together centuries of devotion with a new era of hope and progress.Shobha yatras, pujas, and special events were organised across the country, but nowhere were the celebrations as grand as in Ayodhya, considered the birthplace of Lord Ram. Devotees began queuing up outside the newly consecrated temple before dawn, and the holy city reverberated with the chants of Jai Shree Ram. The celebrations passed off peacefully everywhere, barring a blast that injured a woman and an incident of stone-pelting in West Bengal's Murshidabad.In the Ayodhya Ram temple, a meticulously designed system of four mirrors and two lenses directed a ray of sunlight on the forehead of Ram Lalla in the sanctum sanctorum, performing the Surya Tilak of the idol at 12.00 pm. After my Nalbari rally, I watched the Surya Tilak on Ram Lalla. Like crores of Indians, this is a very emotional moment for me. The grand Ram Navami in Ayodhya is historic. May this Surya Tilak bring energy to our lives and may it inspire our nation to scale new heights of glory," Modi said in a post on X following his Lok Sabha poll rally in Assam's Nalbari."This much-awaited moment at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is a moment of bliss for everyone. This Surya tilak will illuminate every resolution of developed India with its divine energy in the same way," he said. "The first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya is a generational milestone, weaving together centuries of devotion with a new era of hope and progress. This is a day crores of Indians waited for," Modi said in a series of posts on X.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also shared a video of the Surya Tilak on his official handle on X. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, played a crucial role in the Surya Tilak project. "The team led by @IIABengaluru carried out calculations of the Sun's position, designed and optimized the optical system, and performed the integration and alignment at the site," he said.With the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections less than 48 hours away, security was tightened in parts of the country already, and the administration made elaborate arrangements for Ram Navami as some incidents of violence were reported on Ram Navami during previous years.The small Hindu community of Srinagar city celebrated the festival by taking out a Shobha Yatra in the summer capital amidst tight security. The yatra started from Zaindar Mohalla in the old city and culminated at Tankipora after passing through Habbakadal, Barbarshah, Lal Chowk, Hari Singh High Street and Jehangir Chowk. "We have been taking out this yatra and jhanki every year for the past 17 years. Earlier, it was stopped due to turmoil in the Valley," said one participant.In Jharkhand, the festival was celebrated across the state with long queues seen outside temples as administration deployed police personnel and used drones to monitor religious gatherings. Officials said Ranchi, Hazaribag, Jamshedpur, Giridih, Lohardaga and Palamu districts were in focus.Meanwhile, a 17-year-old girl was killed and 24 people were injured after a pick-van carrying a generator set and soundbox overturned on a Ram Navami procession in Lohardaga district. A large number of devotees participated procession in Bihar's capital Patna.In West Bengal, political leaders joined Ram Navami processions along with common participants. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greeted people on occasion and appealed to them to maintain peace. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari attended a Ram Navami procession in New Town area while TMC minister Arup Roy and party's Howrah Lok Sabha constituency candidate Prasun Banerjee walked with processions in Howrah town. Despite administration forbidding display of arms in public, people carried swords in processions in Howrah.The state-run Jadavpur University in Kolkata withdrew permission it gave to RSS-affiliated ABVP to celebrate Ram Navami on campus amid protests by Left-backed students organisations. The varsity had given permission to celebrate Ram Navami near Gate 3 from 11 am to 2 pm.In Rejinagar area of Murshidabad, BJP alleged that stones were thrown at a Ram Navami procession. "It was duty of state police to maintain law and order. We urge Election Commission to take stern action against police officers there," said BJP state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay.In Telangana, festival was celebrated with traditional fervour with highlight being Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam celestial wedding of Lord Ram and Sita in temple town Bhadrachalam on banks of Godavari river.