The chief priest of the Ram temple in Ayodhya announced that starting from Friday, the temple will undergo a daily closure for an hour in the afternoon. This adjustment comes in response to the surge of devotees visiting the temple following its consecration ceremony. In light of this, the temple trust has extended the ‘darshan’ timings from 6 am to 10 pm to accommodate the influx of worshippers.
Since January 23, the morning rituals for the deity have commenced at 4 am, with ‘darshan’ available to devotees from around 6 am until 10 pm. However, due to concerns about the stress on the deity, described as a five-year-old child, the temple trust has decided to introduce a midday break. According to Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest, the temple doors will now remain closed from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm to allow the deity to rest.
Previously, prior to the consecration ceremony, the ‘darshan’ timings were from 7 am to 6 pm, with a two-hour break in the afternoon from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. These adjustments aim to balance the needs of the worshippers with the well-being of the deity, ensuring a harmonious and sustainable environment for religious practices at the temple.