Millions of Hindus in India are observing the sacred festival of Ram Navami on Thursday.
The festival marks the anniversary of the birth of Lord Ram and is among Hinduism’s most auspicious days.
It is also a public holiday in many states in the country.
Devotees celebrate the festival by observing a fast, lighting ghee (clarified butter) lamps, chanting Ram’s name, offering prayers to the deity and taking out religious processions with elaborate tableaus.
In Uttar Pradesh’s holy city of Ayodhya, the scenes during the festival are those of spiritual grandeur.
The Ram Temple in the city — believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu god — is decorated with flowers and lights.
On Thursday, news reports said that large crowds had begun gathering at the temple complex to participate in the celebrations.
The temple was inaugurated in 2024 by India’s Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The temple site has been a controversial flashpoint as it was built on grounds where the 16th-century Babri Masjid (Mosque of Babur) stood. The mosque was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, triggering bloodied riots that left nearly 2,000 people dead.
On Thursday, Modi extended Ram Navami greetings to the nation.
“My heartfelt wish is that by the grace of Lord Rama, the welfare of all may be ensured, paving the way for the fulfilment of the resolve for a developed and self-reliant India,” he said.
Right-wing Hindu outfits have previously used Ram Navami processions to stoke religious polarization. There have been instances of the groups passing through Muslim neighborhoods, waving saffron flags, armed with mace and swords and chanting the slogan of “Jai Sri Ram.” The groups have also made anti-Muslim hate speeches during these processions.
In the state of West Bengal — where elections are due next month and where tensions have flared during Ram Navami processions in the past — security measures have been bolstered ahead of the celebrations. Some 3,000 police personnel have been deployed across the state and there are restrictions on processions to maintain law and order, news agency PTI reported, citing a senior official.
The carrying of weapons has been prohibited and the number of participants in a procession are capped at 500, the official told PTI.
Meanwhile, a massive traffic snarl was reported on Thursday on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as a beeline of holiday travelers streamed to the key route.
Footage showed a long queue of vehicles that left commuters stuck for hours.
