Surya tilak ceremony highlights Ayodhya's Ram Navami celebration

Ayodhya will celebrate Ram Navami on April 6, with the highlight being the ‘Surya tilak’ ceremony for Ram Lalla at noon. The Ram Temple Trust has begun preparations for the festival, which will include live television coverage for those unable to attend. The main temple construction is 96% complete, with final works expected to finish by June 30. New features, including the Ram Darbar and Saptrishi temples, will be added to the temple complex, along with landscaping and beautification efforts. Plans are underway for a community kitchen to serve fresh food to visitors. Due to security protocols, offerings like ‘prasad’ and flowers are not allowed inside the temple, but volunteers will distribute ‘prasad’ to devotees as they exit.