For 1st Time in 50 years, Gita Press Faces Shortage of Ramcharitmanas in Stock Ahead of Mandir Event

New Delhi: For the first time in about 50 years, Gita Press – a leading publisher of Hindu religious texts and scriptures –  based in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur is facing shortage of Ramcharitmanas (a version of Ramayana) in its stock amid a steep rise in demand ahead of the Ram Mandir Pranpratishtha ceremony scheduled to take place in the holy city of Ayodhya on January 22, news agency PTI reported on Friday.

Meanwhile, several acharyas from across the country rallied for PM Modi's 11-days ‘anushthan’ before the 'pranpratishtha', with a majority of the seers echoing the collective sentiment of the resolution being taken “to bring back the 'Ramrajya' [golden era]” in the country.  

Earlier during the day, PM Modi had announced a spiritual initiative involving an 11-day 'anushthan' (special ritual) in the run up to the upcoming inauguration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

During the course of this anushthan, the Prime Minister will adhere to the strict guidelines relating to the 'pranpratishtha' ceremony, as mentioned in the ancient scriptures.

Expressing his joy stating that he was “overwhelmed with emotions”, PM Modi stressed it is "for the first time in my life, I am going through such feelings.” 

The Moment [of pranpratishtha] will be a shared experience for every citizen of the nation, the PM said, adding that he will take with him “the inspiration of countless figures who have dedicated their lives to the cause of Ram Mandir”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, thousands of seers from across the country and other dignitaries have been invited for the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple. More than one lakh devotees are also expected to descend on the temple town on the occasion.

Ayodhya Dham Draws Global Interest in Tourism With Spiritual Resurgence

The sacred city of Ayodhya is gaining attention across the globe as various travel booking platforms are witnessing an unprecedented increase in searches [for the city], with notable spikes recorded from international travellers, particularly based in the US and the Gulf countries, news agency ANI reported.

Searches for Ayodhya from India increased by a staggering 1,806 percent since the announcement of Ram Mandir inauguration, ANI quoted a MakeMyTrip (MMT) spokesperson as saying.

“We have recorded a 97 percent growth in searches for spiritual destinations on our platform in the last two years,  the spokesperson told ANI, adding that ”on-platform searches for Ayodhya from India have increased by 1,806 percent since the inauguration announcement". 

The search for Ayodhya peaked on December 30 last year, when the inaugurations of airport and railway station in the city took place," the spokesperson reportedly said.

According to MMT, the maximum search contribution for Ayodhya was recorded from the US at 22.5 percent, followed by the Gulf countries at 22.2 percent, Canada at 9.3 percent, Nepal at 6.6 percent and Australia at 6.1 percent.

Meanwhile, Daniel D'Souza, President and Country Head of Holidays at SOTC Travel told ANI: “Spiritual tourism has evolved as a concept and is significantly contributing to the overall revival of India's tourism industry”.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)