Patna: Police and the district administration have made elaborate arrangements and deployed police at all vulnerable places on the eve of Ram Navami. The Hanuman Mandir, too, has made preparations for the mega event in which at least 400,000 devotees are expected to visit the temple to seek the blessings of Lord Ram.
District magistrate Kumar Ravi convened a meeting with Bankipore MLA Nitin Navin who takes out Shobha Yatras from different localities under the banner of Sri Sri Ram Navami Shobha Yatra Abhinandan Samiti. Even chief minister Nitish Kumar takes part in the Shobha Yatra which takes the form of huge gathering at the Dakbungalow roundabout.
Altogether 32 Shobha Yatras will be launched from different localities. The city has already turned saffron where flags of Jai Sri Ram are seen fluttering at every nook and corner of the state capital. Like every year, the centre of attraction would be Dakbungalow which has been decorated.
Toran-Dwar has been erected from Dakbungalow to the Kotwali police station and attractive lights have been put up. Similarly, the district administration has made the arrangement accordingly.
Additional closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) have been placed near Dakbungalow, JP Roundabout, Nehru Roundabout, Income Tax, Planetarium and Mahavir Mandir have become functional from Saturday onwards.
The Patna district magistrate has given special instructions to the Patna Electricity Supply Unit (Pesu) to provide uninterrupted power supply in the city throughout the day.
"Special attention needs to be given to naked wires and other wires dangling on the route of the Shobha Yatras. The engineer and lineman must clear these obstacles. All the mast lighting and streetlight must be functional," Ravi said.
He also asked Patna superintendent of police (SP), traffic, PK Das to ensure smooth traffic in the city and earmark places for parking. Vehicles would be parked at the multi-level parking near Buddha Smriti Park, Miller High School and one flank of Beer Chand Patel Marg.
He also announced that the district administration will give away first, second and third prizes to those who take out the Shobha Yatra in a disciplined way.
The Mahavir Mandir Trust has also made special arrangement as Ram Navami is the most important festival of Mahavir Mandir. After the Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya, Mahavir Mandir attracts the largest number of devotees in the country on the birthday of Lord Ram.
"More than four lakh devotees with prasad in their hands throng the temple. The devotees will start standing in the queue from 10pm on Saturday itself. However, the temple will open in the early hours of Sunday at 2am and will continue till 10pm," said Kishore Kunal, the secretary of the trust.
This year, 10 additional priests from Ayodhya will be on duty for ensuring the rituals are conducted faster for the benefit of devotees. Fire fighting arrangements in the temple and its vicinity have also been made.
