From Bihar to Gujarat, first-time visitors flock to Ayodhya post SC verdict: Number of devotees spiked since 9 Nov, claims VHP

The 9 November Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya issue was a moment of unbridled joy for the Ram devotee Ayodhya: Wearing a yellow kurta with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ prints and sporting a prominent ‘tilak’ on his forehead, teenager Shivam Kumar travelled all the way from Bihar’s Rohtas district to Ayodhya, carrying a sack full of bricks to deposit at a Ram temple workshop in the holy town. Since the historic judgement of the apex court that paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple by a trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque in the Hindu holy town, a large number of devotees have been flocking to Ayodhya, several among them making their maiden visit to the city. Rakesh Kumar, their father, said the family visited Ayodhya for the Kartik Purnima holy dip but the visit became “all the more special” as the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the construction of a temple for Ram Lallah. Kumar from Bihar, sharing the excitement of his journey, said, “We three could not get a reserved train ticket on such a short notice, so we booked a general ticket and had to face hardships, but it is nothing compared to the joy we are feeling right now.” A VHP member, he claimed he is also part of the Bajrang Dal’s unit in his home state, added that security personnel “did not allow them to ferry bricks” on several occasions, but somehow the trio managed to bring the “10 bricks to its rightful destination — Karsewakpuram”.