For the first time since the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram, Ayodhya saw an overwhelming turnout of devotees for the 14 Kosi Parikrama.
Crowds began gathering late on Saturday night for the Parikrama, which started ahead of the auspicious time, with many devotees enthusiastically chanting “Jai Shri Ram” as they covered the 42-kilometrE route in just five hours on Sunday.
An estimated 30 lakh devotees participated in the 14 Kosi parikarma.
This was the first time that devotees completed the 14 Kosi Parikrama, visiting over 5,000 temples, including the grand Lord Shri Ramlala temple in Ayodhya. Various organisations arranged refreshments along the entire route, while the Municipal Corporation set up rest houses and mobile toilets. Over 150 changing rooms were also constructed at different ghats for the convenience of pilgrims.
Given the significance of the Parikrama, a large number of devotees travelled to Ayodhya from districts such as Bahraich, Sitapur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Gonda, Prayagraj, and even Nepal. Some pilgrims are expected to return after completing the Panchkosi Parikrama on November 12.
From 11 pm to 7 am, the Parikrama path was filled with a massive crowd, making it difficult to move between tracks. Refreshment stalls remained busy throughout the night, while barricades were set up along streets leading to the 14 Kosi route to manage the crowd effectively.
On Sunday morning, many devotees bathed in the Saryu River before beginning their Parikrama, visiting Hanumangarhi and Ramlala temples. The crowd in both temples became so large that there was barely space to move.
District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh stated that the Parikrama was completed as per the auspicious time, breaking all previous records with an estimated 30-35 lakh devotees participating. Tight security arrangements ensured a smooth event, with no untoward incidents reported.