With UPites still soaking in the celebratory fervour of the Ram Temple consecration that took place earlier this year, there are elaborate plans for Janmasthami celebration in Ayodhya too. From devotees temple hopping from Vrindavan to Ayodhya and vice versa to those busy shopping ahead of the festival, UP is all set for a grand Janmashtami.
Buzz around temple tourism
“For us, it was temple run just before the biggest day as a Lord Krishna devotee. My wife and sister-in-law have waited for months to travel to Ayodhya to visit the Ram Temple. So, it was a well-planned temple trip to Ayodhya, Mathura and Vrindavan. This way, we managed to offer our prayers to both the avatars of Lord Vishnu – Ram and Krishna. All these cities are painted in colours of love and devotion. We are lucky to be able to witness something like this,” says assistant professor Rajesh Sharma, who travelled with his wife, Kumkum and sister-in-law, Kumud.
For Devendra K Sharma, an official at a private university, one visit to some sacred place is mandatory, "This is my third visit to Vrindavan and Mathura. These places ooze serenity and bliss. I can't express how happy I felt when I was in Vrindavan. We, in fact, extended our trip and will also travel to Ayodhya,” he says.
Be it Laddoo Gopal or Ram Lalla
As many have still to visit the new temple in Ayodhya, many are interlining their visit and purchases, informs Vinaya Rastogi from BD Jewellers in Alambagh. He adds, “As we are situated near the airport and railway station, the devotees who are enroute to either Ayodhya or Vrindavan are stopping for their token buy. A lady bought Ramji silver coins for Ayodhya and bought a silver cradle for Laddoo Gopal we term it as a divine connect.”
{{/usCountry}}As many have still to visit the new temple in Ayodhya, many are interlining their visit and purchases, informs Vinaya Rastogi from BD Jewellers in Alambagh. He adds, “As we are situated near the airport and railway station, the devotees who are enroute to either Ayodhya or Vrindavan are stopping for their token buy. A lady bought Ramji silver coins for Ayodhya and bought a silver cradle for Laddoo Gopal we term it as a divine connect.”
{{/usCountry}}UP president of All India Jewellers Federation, Vinod Maheswari from Vinod Jewellers says, “The difference between the two deities' shringhar accessories is minor if I may say so, Ram Lalla in Ayodhya is the child aspect of the divine and Laddoo Gopal is a toddler phase of Krishna. The difference lies for Lord Krishna it’s bansuri and mor pankhi mukut and for Lord Ram, it’s dhanush and plain crown, but the favourite metal remains same that is silver as well as the rest of the ornaments are just the same, so the similarity is quite apparent.”
“A song by devotional singer Anup Jalota Jag Mein Sundar Hain Do Naam, Chahe Krishna Kaho Ya Ram aptly conveys every devotee’s feeling this Janmasthami,” concludes Sharma