Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh)

A group of 30 visually impaired students from the Nari Uday Foundation's Andh Prakash Vidyalaya in Rohtak, Haryana, visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday to seek darshan of Lord Ram.

Speaking to ANI, Rani Hooda Ahlawat, caretaker of the visually impaired devotees, said the visit was undertaken with devotion and hope.

"We have come to Ayodhya to have darshan of Lord Ram. I have brought all the students from my school who are blind. With the hope that God will see them, I have brought them here. We did the parikrama in the Ram temple and recited Hanuman Chalisa," she said.

She added that students belonging to different categories of disabilities expressed deep appreciation for the spiritual experience during their visit to the temple.

One of the students, Sapna, also spoke to ANI and said, "We have come to Ayodhya to have darshan of Lord Ram. We prayed to Lord Ram to keep us strong. We chanted the name of Shri Ram and recited the Hanuman Chalisa in the temple premises."

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers to Lord Ram and virtually observed the Surya Tilak ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on the occassion of Ram Navami.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya witnessed the 'Surya Tilak' illuminating the forehead of Ram Lalla.

The 'Surya Tilak' occurred exactly at noon when a beam of sunlight fell precisely on the forehead of Ram Lalla's idol, forming a celestial tilak.

Priests offered prayers to Ram Lalla during the 'Surya Tilak'.The nine-day festival, also known as Ram Navratri, concludes on Ram Navami, which marks the birthday of Lord Ram. Throughout the festival, all nine days are devoted to honouring the nine incarnations of the goddess Shakti.

The festival is celebrated with great devotion across India, with rituals and prayers honouring the goddess in her various forms.

Ram Navami is the day when Lord Rama appeared in his human and divine form, and is celebrated with great reverence and festivities all over India, but especially in the sacred city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Leading up to Ram Navami, Hindus observe the 9-day fast during the Chaitra Navaratri, which consists of abstinence from alcohol, smoking, consumption of sattvic vegetarian food and immersing oneself in prayer and meditation.

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Security was intensified at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple today as massive crowds of devotees arrived to offer prayers on the occasion of Navami, the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri.ADG Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar, said that comprehensive safety measures are in place to manage the surge in pilgrims, with authorities utilising drones and a vast network of CCTV cameras.

Speaking to ANI, Kumar said, "Devotees have been arriving in large numbers to offer prayers at the temple. Proper security arrangements have been made. The security is being monitored with the help of drones and CCTV cameras."