Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir)

श्री राम जन्मभूमि मंदिर (राम मंदिर)

Location

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

Darshan

07:00 – 23:00

Deity

🪔Lord Ram (Shri Ram Lalla)

Entry

Free entry

The temple is open from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM (23:00) daily. Hours may be extended on festival days (especially Ram Navami, Diwali, and Vivah Panchami). Since the consecration in January 2024, authorities have progressively streamlined visitor management. Long queues are common; arrive early or in the late evening for shorter waits. No mobile phones or cameras are permitted inside the inner sanctum area; devices must be deposited at cloak rooms provided outside. Footwear must be removed before entering the complex. Security checks are in place at multiple entry gates. Devotees enter from designated gates; follow directional signage for different queue categories (general, senior citizen, differently-abled). Children under 12 and senior citizens have dedicated access lanes.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir) is arguably the most nationally significant temple consecrated in modern India. It stands at the precise location traditionally held to be the birthplace of Lord Ram — the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu and the hero of the Valmiki Ramayana. Ram is revered across India and Southeast Asia as the ideal king (Maryada Purushottam — the supreme upholder of virtue), ideal son, ideal husband, and ideal warrior. Ayodhya itself is the Ramayana's capital city — the Ikshvaku (Solar dynasty) kingdom that Ram ruled. The site carries the cumulative spiritual and emotional weight of: — Over 500 years of Hindu aspiration to restore a temple at the birthplace — One of the longest legal battles in Indian judicial history (concluded 2019) — A landmark Supreme Court verdict — A groundbreaking ceremony presided over by the Prime Minister of India (2020) — A Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of national significance (2024) More than 8,000 saints, sages, politicians, and dignitaries attended the consecration on 22 January 2024. The day was declared a public holiday in several states; live telecasts were watched by hundreds of millions across India. Lakhs of pilgrims now visit Ayodhya monthly, making it one of India's top pilgrimage destinations virtually overnight.

History

The Ram Janmabhoomi dispute is one of the most complex and layered historical controversies in Indian history. The key timeline: **Ancient & Medieval:** - Ayodhya is mentioned as Ram's capital in the Valmiki Ramayana and is revered as one of the oldest cities in the world (referred to as "Avadh" or "Kosala"). - Temple tradition at the Janmasthan site likely dates to ancient times. - In 1528 CE, the Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Baqi is traditionally said to have demolished an existing Ram temple and constructed the Babri Masjid (Babur's Mosque) at the site. This claim is central to the Hindu position in the dispute; the Babri Masjid side disputed any demolition of a prior temple. - ASI excavations (2002–2003, court-ordered) found evidence of a large pre-existing structure beneath the Babri Masjid — widely interpreted by Hindus as the demolished Ram temple, though disputed by some historians. **Modern Dispute (1947–2020):** - 1949: Idols of Ram Lalla appeared inside the Babri Masjid (December); the government locked the structure; both communities filed suits. - 1984: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) launched a campaign to "liberate" the Ram Janmabhoomi; support grew through the 1980s. - 1986: A district court ordered the gates unlocked for Hindu worship; the Muslim community objected and formed the Babri Masjid Action Committee. - 6 December 1992: The Babri Masjid was demolished by a large mob of kar sevaks (Hindu religious volunteers), triggering nationwide communal riots in which over 2,000 people died. This event remains one of the most consequential in post-independence Indian history. - 2002–2003: Allahabad High Court ordered ASI excavations. - 2010: Allahabad High Court divided the 2.77-acre plot three ways between the three parties (Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara, and Ram Lalla Virajman). All three parties appealed to the Supreme Court. - 9 November 2019: Supreme Court of India awarded the full 2.77-acre plot to the Ram Lalla deity (managed by the newly constituted Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust) and directed the government to provide 5 acres of alternative land to the Sunni Waqf Board. **Construction & Consecration:** - February 2020: Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust constituted by the Central Government. - 5 August 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Puja (ground- breaking ceremony) for the new temple construction, laying a 40 kg silver brick. - Construction commenced and progressed in phases through 2021–2023. - 22 January 2024: The Pran Pratishtha (consecration / installation of the life- force in the deity) was performed — the temple was officially opened. PM Modi performed the rituals alongside chief priests. The idol of Ram Lalla, created by sculptor Arun Yogiraj, was consecrated. - Phase 1 (ground floor) opened to pilgrims on 22 January 2024. The upper floors and full complex continue to be completed in subsequent phases.

Mythology

Ayodhya's mythology is entirely centred on the Ramayana narrative — one of the world's great epics, composed by the sage Valmiki and later retold by Tulsidas (Ram Charit Manas, 16th century CE) and hundreds of regional traditions. Lord Ram is the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu, born at Ayodhya in the royal Ikshvaku (Solar dynasty) clan. His father was King Dasharatha; his three brothers were Lakshmana, Bharat, and Shatrughna. Ram married Sita, daughter of King Janaka of Mithila. At his father's behest (to honour a boon given to his stepmother Kaikeyi), Ram went into 14 years of forest exile with Sita and Lakshmana. During the exile, the demon king Ravana of Lanka abducted Sita. Ram, with the help of Hanuman and the Vanara (monkey) army, built a bridge across the sea (Adam's Bridge / Rama Setu), crossed to Lanka, defeated Ravana, rescued Sita, and returned triumphant to Ayodhya. His return is celebrated as Diwali — the festival of lights. Ram's rule (Ram Rajya) is the Hindu ideal of a just and perfect kingdom. The concept of Ram Rajya — a golden age of peace, righteousness, and prosperity — is foundational to Hindu political thought and was cited by Mahatma Gandhi as his vision for independent India. The Janmasthan (birthplace chamber) within the garbhagriha of the new temple is considered the exact spot of Ram's birth — celebrated as Ram Navami. The location carries the weight of Tulsidas's declaration (c.1574 CE) in Ram Charit Manas that Ayodhya itself is beyond description in its holiness.