Gujarat CM offers prayers at Ayodhya Ram temple with speaker, ministers; calls it 'emotional' experience

Ayodhya (UP): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, his cabinet colleagues, and legislative assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary offered prayers at the newly-built Ram temple in Ayodhya on Saturday.

Patel, on this occasion, said a Yatri Niwas will be built in Ayodhya for the devotees of Gujarat for which a provision of Rs 10 crore has been made in the state's budget.

He expressed joy over his visit to the temple and called the experience "emotional".

The 25-member delegation led by Patel reached the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport on Saturday morning on a special plane, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi welcomed Bhupendra Patel and his cabinet colleagues at the airport by garlanding them and presenting the with an angvastra.

Folk artistes presented a dance performance for the guests upon their arrival, the statement added.

Speaking to reporters after the Ram Mandir visit, Patel said, "I had the privilege of visiting the grand temple of Lord Shri Ram along with all the members of my council of ministers. This occasion is very emotional and reverent for all of us."

"Under the leadership of the world's most popular leader -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the 'alaukik' (divine) consecration of Lord Shri Ram Chandra Ji in the Ayodhya temple is the announcement of a new era in the country," he said.

Not only this, it is also a resolution to establish Ram Rajya for the next 1,000 years, he added.

He further said that the state government has allocated Rs 10 crore in this year's budget to build the Gujarat Yatri Bhavan to facilitate ease of travel for pilgrims visiting the temple from Gujarat.

"Our government has started a special Aastha train for people travelling to Ayodhya from Gujarat, through which thousands of people have got the opportunity to have darshan of Ram Lalla," the chief minister said.

"We have decided to build a Yatri Niwas so that the devotees coming here can halt at night. For this, a provision of Rs 10 crore has been made in the state's budget. I thank Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the Uttar Pradesh government for providing land for the proposed Yatri Bhawan which will be built in Ayodhya," he added.

The total cost of the project was Rs 50 crore, he said in a statement released by the Gujarat government.

The chief minister presented a painting depicting the events of Shabari Mata and Lord Ram to the trustees of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Janmabhoomi Trust.

During the visit, Patel was accompanied by state cabinet ministers, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary and chief whip Balkrishna Shukla.

In a post on 'X', Patel said, "This experience of God's darshan fills the heart with heavenly joy... is indescribable. Prayed before the divine form of God for India's supreme development and glorification of eternal values."

The dream of crores of Indians to build a temple at the birthplace of lord Ram came true under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and every devotee is eager to visit the temple, he said.