People enjoying VIP status should avoid visiting Ayodhya on day of Ram temple consecration: Trust

Ayodhya (UP): People enjoying VIP status should avoid visiting Ayodhya on the day of consecration of the Ram temple on January 22, likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the authorities would be busy in the mega event, the temple trust said on Wednesday.

Shri Ram Ramjanmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust secretary Champat Rai said those enjoying protocols, including chief ministers, governors and ambassadors, should not plan any visit to the temple town on the day so that no one faces any kind of inconvenience during the ceremony.

A large number of people are expected to attend the consecration ceremony of the grand Ram temple.

"We will not be able to serve them on January 22 and I think the local administration will also not be able to take care of them," he said.

He said that after the consecration ceremony, people from every state of the country will visit Ayodhya from January 26 to February 22 next year.

He said the chief minister and other leaders of a state should plan their visit to the temple town when the people from their state come to the temple.

"People coming to Ayodhya will be provided food and accommodation but the facility will not be like that of a hotel," he said.

Lord Ram ate tubers while in exile, he said, adding, "We will give better food than that." Rai said Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) representatives from all the provinces have been called to Ayodhya on November 5 as part of preparations for the consecration ceremony.

Prime Minister Modi is likely to attend the event.

Rai also said the trust has increased the salaries of priests and other employees of the Ram temple.

The trust has given a hike of 35 to 40 per cent in the salaries of chief priests and other priests and other staffers such as store keeper, manager, gardener.

The trust will also provide them housing and medical allowances and weekly holidays.

The staffers will also get benefits of provident fund and gratuity.

Talking to PTI, Ram temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das said it is a good move by the trust.

Following the hike, the chief priest's salary increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 32,900 per month. Assistant priests who were getting Rs 20,000 a month will not get Rs 31,000.

The trust had earlier increased the salaries of its employees in the month of May.