Tent cities being erected in Ayodhya to host devotees

Anticipating a deluge of devotees after the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, the trust building the temple is making elaborate arrangements for their stay, with swathes of tent cities coming up in the city. The trust, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, has also earmarked about 400 rooms in other lodging facilities for devotees unable to stay in the tin-shed tents.

"It will be cold. Even if 10,000-15,000 people come to stay, where will they find shelter, facilities for food, water and toilet? Tent cities comprising tin-shed tents are being built by the trust which will be maintained till February," Champat Rai, general secretary of the trust, said on Thursday.

Tent house service providers from Agra, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Darshan Nagar close to Ayodhya are building the tent cities, he said.


The VHP plans to reach out to about 120 million devotees between January 1-15, with 'akshat' (sacred rice) and pictures of Lord Ram, to invite them to Ayodhya. Besides, between January 27 and February 1, members of the VHP associated with the Ram temple movement from 43 of its organisational divisions across the country will be called to visit the temple -- with one to two divisions being aimed to be called each day.