Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh): Ram Navami festivities in Ayodhya reached a spiritual high on Sunday as the Ram Janmabhoomi temple witnessed the divine moment of Surya Tilak on the idol of Ram Lalla. At precisely 12:00 noon, a beam of sunlight fell directly on the idol’s forehead, forming a radiant tilak, much to the awe and devotion of thousands of gathered pilgrims.
This marks the second Ram Navami celebration since the consecration (Pran Pratishtha) of the Ram Lalla idol earlier this year. The temple authorities had made special arrangements to ensure the success of this celestial event, with thousands of devotees arriving from India and abroad to witness the phenomenon.
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To achieve the Surya Tilak, a specially designed mechanism was installed on the temple’s third floor. Using a combination of pipes and lenses arranged with clockwork precision, sunlight was channeled through a custom-made system developed by scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, and the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI). The system uses gear-tooth technology to ensure that the sunlight falls on the idol’s forehead exactly on Ram Navami each year.
In anticipation of the large crowds, Ayodhya was placed under heightened security. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raj Karan Nayyar said, “In view of the large number of devotees arriving for Ram Navami, we have divided the city into various zones and are using drones to monitor crowd movement and ensure security.”
Additional SP Madhuban Singh added that large-scale police deployment was in place and adequate parking arrangements had been made. Similar security measures were enforced in Sambhal and other major temple towns in Uttar Pradesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings on the occasion through a message on social media platform X (formerly Twitter):
“Heartfelt Ram Navami wishes to all citizens. May this sacred day, celebrating the birth of Lord Shri Ram, bring new energy and enthusiasm into your lives. May it continue to empower the resolve for a strong, prosperous, and capable India. Jai Shri Ram!”