Ayodhya on the Eve of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan: Hanumangarhi and Kanak Bhawan in 2020
In the first days of August 2020, Ayodhya was preparing for one of the most watched ceremonies in its modern history: the bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir, performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020. VoxyTalksy travelled to the town just before the event and filmed its best-known shrines as they were readied for the occasion.
What the video shows
The video was filmed in Ayodhya in early August 2020 and uploaded on August 5, 2020 (IST). Reporter Ayush Tiwari begins at Hanumangarhi, where shops are being washed by a water-cannon vehicle and security has been tightened ahead of the Prime Minister's visit; a representative of the temple's mahant tells the channel that preparations are complete and that the Prime Minister is expected to have darshan of Hanuman there, and police personnel describe the security arrangements. Devotees repeat the popular belief that Hanuman was made the guardian of Ayodhya after Lord Ram's return. The reporter then visits Kanak Bhawan, where a temple attendant narrates the tradition that Queen Kaikeyi gifted the palace to Sita after her marriage to Ram, and points out the nearby Dashrath Mahal. The description says the tour also covers Ram ki Paidi on the Saryu.
The shrines in context
Hanumangarhi sits on a hillock in the heart of Ayodhya and is usually the first stop for pilgrims. Tradition links its origins to King Vikramaditya, while historical accounts note that the Nawab of Awadh granted land revenue for the temple in 1855.
Kanak Bhawan is associated in belief with Kaikeyi's wedding gift to Sita. The present building dates from 1891, when it was rebuilt under Maharaj Mahendra Pratap Singh and Maharani Vrishabhan Kunwari of Orchha and Tikamgarh.
Ram ki Paidi is the series of ghats along the Saryu where pilgrims bathe and where the large Deepotsav lamp-lighting events are now held every Diwali.
What happened next
The Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the Ayodhya title case on November 9, 2019, which led to the formation of a trust to build the temple. After the bhoomi pujan of August 5, 2020, construction continued for more than three years, and the pran pratishtha (consecration) of the idol of Ram Lalla took place on January 22, 2024. The video is therefore a record of Ayodhya at a turning point, before the new temple, the widened roads and the new airport changed the town's look.
Tips for visitors
- Hanumangarhi, Kanak Bhawan, Dashrath Mahal and the Ram Janmabhoomi temple are all within walking distance of each other in the old town.
- Early mornings are less crowded; festival days such as Ram Navami and Diwali bring very large crowds.
- Ayodhya Dham Junction railway station and Maharishi Valmiki International Airport connect the town to Lucknow and other cities.
- Check the temple trust's current timings and rules on phones and bags before you go, as security checks are strict.
