Many who came for 'darshan' of Ram Lalla changed itinerary to see PM Narendra Modi also

Many who came for ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla changed itinerary to see PM Narendra Modi also

AYODHYA: Braving extreme heat, a huge crowd of people, comprising all ages, gathered in Ayodhya to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

The entire temple town was painted/draped in saffron, orange and yellow hues with cutouts of Modi popping up on the streets even as people waited patiently for the special rath of the PM to arrive.

Drawing from the past experiences, the local administration put in place some new measures to control the crowd.

The move also ensured higher turnout of people than what was seen in January 22 and December 30 last year when Modi was in the city.

Dividing Ram path, the key arterial road, into two sections the administration allowed the crowd to gather till the divider this time making more space for them.

Also, the length of the roadshow was restricted to 2.2 kilometre, which ensured the entire stretch was full of activities.

In another advantage, the devotees and pilgrims visiting Ayodhya and Ram temple from neighbouring districts and states were also keen on attending the road show.

Shivam Gupta, 24, a sweetmeat shop owner from Nawada, Bihar, was in Ayodhya for Ram Lalla darshan.

“I came to know about Modi roadshow in the evening and decided to stay put to greet him. I cancelled my train ticket and will board a bus now,” said Gupta.

For local boy, Shubham Chaurasia, 18, opening of Ram temple has resulted in increased recognition, fame and some side income. “I learned Faruwahi folk dance from a local artist. This is my fifth stage performance in a year. I am paid Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 for each performance,” said Chaurasia.

To avoid excessive overcrowding at a single spot, the entire holding area for Modi fans was divided into more than 50 blocks.

BJP workers too deputed the supporters strategically with advocates, traders, businessmen, women and other groups in some blocks that had been reserved in advance.

More than three dozen women party workers were deputed to welcome Modi and perform various rituals.

An 18-member group of drummers stole the limelight opposite Birla Dharmshala. The group from Amethi was specially invited by a local party unit to perform at the rally. “Besides performing we also get lot of leads as people interested in holding dhol shows at weddings and events took our contact number,” said Raj Chandra, 20, from Sagra road in Amethi.

Few metres ahead towards Hanuman Garhi, a queue of BJP workers stood waiting at the railings. Slogans like ‘Abki baar Modi sarkar’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ echoed all through the event duration.

The ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla for devotees continued till late evening, barring the period when Modi and Yogi paid obeisance to the idol.

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