Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], April 16 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday extended wishes to the people on the eve of Ram Navami and asked them to emulate Lord Ram's ideals in life.
Ram Navami, which marks the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, will be celebrated on April 17.
"Lord Ram is a symbol of our faith and belief, his ideal character inspires us to move forward in life. The importance of Ram Navami has increased further this year with Lord Shri Ram being enthroned in a grand temple in Ayodhya. The occasion of the divine anointment of the Lord's forehead with the rays of the sun on the occasion of Ram Navami will also be unforgettable. We should try to inculcate the personality of Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram in our lives," he said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also wished the people of the state on Navratri.
"This festival is a symbol of our culture and tradition. This festival is a symbol of the great tradition of Indian culture. This festival of Navratri indicates the importance and strength of women in society. The Kanya Pujan performed on this occasion shows the importance of women's power," he said.
Ahead of the last day of Chaitra Navratri and the occasion of Ram Navami, Ayodhya has geared up for the magnificent celebrations at the Ram Janambhoomi Temple. 56 types of Bhog Prasad will also be offered to Ram Lala.
Speaking to ANI, the chief priest of Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, informed that all the arrangements for the festival are being managed by the trust and the occasion of Ram Navami will be celebrated with great enthusiasm. "All arrangements are being made by the trust. The trust is also managing the decorations. Ram Navami will be celebrated with great enthusiasm."
The chief priest also hailed the celebrations as special as they are happening for the first time after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony.
Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust constituted to look after the management of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir, has made special arrangements for the convenience of the devotees visiting during the festival.
The trust on its official X handle informed that on the day of Ram Navami, starting at 3:30 am during the Brahma Muhurta, arrangements will be in place for the devotees to queue up.
The trust has also extended the duration of Darshan to 19 hours, starting from the Mangala Aarti and continuing until 11:00 pm. The curtain will be closed only for five minutes during the four Bhog offerings.
The celebration will be broadcast on about a hundred large LED screens throughout Ayodhya. There will also be live broadcasts on the trust's social media accounts, the trust said in a post on X.