Trust to decide date for opening Ram Darbar for public

Ayodhya (UP): The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust will decide on Saturday the date for opening the newly-consecrated Ram Darbar and six other temples in the Ram Temple complex for the public, officials said.

Following the consecration ceremony held on Thursday, Ram Darbar and the other temples within the temple precinct were closed for both the general public and VIPs until further notice, District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said.

He said the trust will convene on Saturday to formally decide the date from which the Ram Darbar will be accessible for public darshan.

"In the first phase, the Ram Darbar will be opened for public visits," Funde said, adding access to the remaining six temples in the precinct will be allowed in subsequent phases.

The date for opening these temples will be announced separately.

The consecration of 'Raja Ram' -- Lord Rama in his royal form -- along with the installation of idols in eight newly built temples inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex was held on Thursday in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The ritual was the second major consecration ceremony at the temple, the first being that of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.