Chariot from Lord Hanuman's birthplace Kishkindha reaches Ayodhya

A chariot from Lord Hanuman's birthplace Kishkindha, traced in the region of present-day Hampi in Karnataka, has arrived in Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22.

Visiting temples across the country, the chariot went to Goddess Sita's birthplace Janakpur in present-day Nepal before arriving in Ayodhya. A group of 100 devotees travelled with the chariot, singing and dancing, raising slogans of "Jai Shree Ram" and waving saffron flags with Lord Ram's pictures.

"When thousands of people are heading to Aydohya for the big day of the arrival of Lord Ram, how can Lord Hanuman not be there? We set out for this Rath Yatra and travelled to several places in the last two months. The chariot will be in Ayodhya till January 25," Abhishek Krishnashastri from Sri Hanuman Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, told PTI.

"We have come here from Kishkindha to offer our seva (service) to Lord Ram. The chariot has a statue of Lord Ram hugging Hanuman, who is considered to be His biggest devotee," he added.

After touring the temple town of Ayodhya, the chariot has been parked on the banks of the Sarayu river where it is catching the attention of tourists and devotees.

The huge chariot looks like a temple with carvings in golden colour. On one side of the chariot are pictures of various places it has visited as well as from the day of the start of its tour.

"We want to build a similar temple for Lord Hanuman at his birthplace. During the yatra, whatever donations we are receiving will be used for the temple," Krishnashastri said.

The Hampi-based Hanuman Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust is also planning to build a 215-metre statue of Lord Hanuman at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore in Kishkindha over the next six years.

Kishkindha is believed to be located on the outskirts of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three places in Karnataka are believed to have a direct connection with Ramayana, including Kishkindha. The other two are the Mahabaleshwar temple in Gokarna and the Chandra Drona Parvatha range in Chikkamagaluru.

"The chariot has been prepared at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. It has statues of Lord Ram, Lakshman, Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman, Lord Virupaksha of Hampi, and Anjani, the mother of Lord Hanuman. The yatra began three years ago. Wherever we go, we perform all temple rituals and locals come to attend the prayers," Krishnashastri said.

Devotees from Kishkindha visit Ayodhya every year for Dev Deepawali but the chariot has come here first time, he added.

Hanuman Garhi, a temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, is also located in Ayodhya. The temple is in the shape of a fort and there are 76 steps which lead to the main premises. It is believed that Lord Hanuman lived here in a cave and guarded the Ramkot or the birthplace of Lord Ram.

The first phase of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is nearing completion and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla on January 22.

Streetlights on flyovers decorated with artworks depicting Lord Ram, his bow and arrow and ornamental lamp posts carrying designs themed on the traditional 'Ramanandi tilak', Ayodhya is all decked up ahead of the consecration ceremony.