Ayodhya gears up for first Navratri after consecration of Ram Lalla's idol

Ayodhya, April 9: The first Navratri festival at the Ayodhya temple after the consecration of Ram Lalla idol is all set to turn into a grand occasion.

Beginning from the first day of Chaitra Navratri on Tuesday and till Ram Navami, marking the birth of Lord Ram, on April 17, the idol of the deity will be dressed in a new dress each day, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said in a post on social media platform X.

The temple trust also uploaded a video, providing a glimpse of the dresses made for the deity.

The new dresses are made from special hand-woven and hand-spun khadi cotton.

Expecting a large crowd during the nine-day festival, the trust has made an appeal to the people to not bring cell phones to the temple.

"If devotees want a quick darshan of Ram Lalla, they should keep away their cell phones and shoes at some other place before turning up at the Ram Mandir. This will save time and ensure quick movement of the queue," Champat Rai, the trust's General Secretary, said.

Meanwhile, several companies of paramilitary forces, along with the police, have been deployed in Ayodhya in view of the upcoming festival.

Uttar Pradesh Police personnel from adjoining districts have also been roped in.