The Uttar Pradesh government has made arrangements to broadcast the Ram Navami Pooja on TV so that people around the globe can watch it on their TV sets. The idol of Lord Ram will be 'shifted'on March 24.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be in attendance on the opening day along with other members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, the trust that is overseeing the construction of the Ram Janmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
The Ram Navami celebration will begin on March 25 and will continue till April 22.
Notably, the administration has given nod for organising a 'Mela' (fair) despite expert advise on social distancing in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The fair has raised severe concerns, as it would witness a huge gathering of crowds as the event draw lakhs of pilgrims from across the country. Several states in the country have imposed many restrictions as it can on the movement of citizens by closing down cinema halls, schools, colleges, and banning large public gatherings in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
The fair will be marked by a ceremony in which an idol of Lord Ram will be shifted from a makeshift tent to a fibreglass structure preferably on the opening day while the construction of the temple goes on under the supervision of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. The event will be marked by a customary 'pooja.'
It is quite surprising that the event got the state government's go-ahead as the Yogi Adityanath government had previously issued an advisory to avoid mass gatherings during Holi. Moreover, the Uttar Pradesh Government has given orders to close down schools, colleges, cinema halls.
The occasion will be significant since this is the first time the fair will take place since the landmark Supreme Court judgment which to give the disputed 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya to the Hindus for the construction of Ram Temple.
The landmark verdict of the Supreme Court in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case was delivered on November 9 last year. The Ram Temple in Ayodhya is likely to be ready by the year 2022, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Tirth Kshetra had told news agencies.
The chief medical officer of Ayodhya had asked the government to cancel the event in view of the pandemic. However, the district administration paid no heed to the demand and has given permission for the event to take place.
District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said a detailed advisory for Ayodhya residents and pilgrims will be issued. "The mela is a traditional religious programme and it will be organised in its due time. However, we will make some action points along with a detailed advisory.”
Meanwhile, three more cases of the coronavirus infection were reported in Uttar Pradesh. While two infected people were found in Lucknow, one infected person was reported from Noida.
The total number of confirmed cases in India is 169. This includes cured cases as well as deaths.
