In a bid to control the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the district, the Ayodhya administration has cancelled the ‘Ram Navmi Mela’ on April 21. The Ram Navmi fair or mela is one of the major crowd pullers in the country. It attracts devotees from across the country on the last day of Navratri.
But now the celebrations have been called off due to a sudden rise in the Coronavirus cases. The administration has ordered to shut down Ayodhya’s borders. No one including seers from Haridwar Kumbh will be allowed to enter Ayodhya. The religious fair was supposed to be attended by myriad seers to offer their prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha said, “Our priority is to break the corona chain. We have taken all precautionary measures and banned all gatherings in Ayodhya.”
The district administration has asked people to celebrate the festival in the confinement of their homes and avoid going to the temples.
Ayodhya’s
Ram Ki Paidi on the banks of the Saryu River looks deserted now. Before COVID, the place used to be crowded with lakhs of devotees visiting the city to take a holy dip in the river. But bathing is banned in the premises because of the pandemic.
Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple, told the media, “There will be no devotees at the temple on`Ram Navmi`this year due to the pandemic. There will be only one priest, on-duty policemen and Ram Lalla Virajman.”
Apparently, this is the second year in row when Ram Navmi celebrations have been cancelled.