Ayodhya, Aug 21: Hundreds of seers and devotees performed the daily Ram Kot parikrama here on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the circumambulation tradition, with flowers showered at several places along the route.
The anniversary event was held under the leadership of former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust trustee Anil Mishra, who made his first appearance before media since the Ram temple donation theft controversy in June following which he resigned his post.
Ram Kot, the approximately three-kilometre route around the Ram temple premises, has been witnessing daily parikrama by a group of Ayodhya seers since August 21 last year. The circumambulation is generally undertaken between 5.30 am and 6.30 am.
Raghuvar Das, a local seer who participated in Friday’s parikrama, said a grand celebration was organised to mark the completion of one year, with devotees showering flowers on the seers at several points along the route.
“There has been a tradition of performing parikrama of the temples situated around Ram Janmabhoomi,” he said.
The first anniversary programme had been planned to bring together a large number of seers and religious figures from Ayodhya. Preparations for the event were discussed at a meeting chaired by Mishra with local seers on Thursday.
Mishra, who appeared before the media for the first time after the recent controversy over alleged embezzlement and misuse of offerings at the Ram temple, said the Ram Kot parikrama was closely linked to the faith and religious traditions of Ram devotees.
“Ram Kot parikrama is linked to the faith of Ram devotees and religious tradition,” Mishra said. (PTI)
