The Ayodhya airport has been inundated with requests for nearly 50 VIP planes to land on January 21 and 22 as guests come from around the country for the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram. On an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Ayodhya, co-passengers share with News18 their experience of visiting the revamped temple town
The Maharishi Valmiki Airport in Ayodhya will perhaps be the most sought-after airport come January 22. It has been inundated with requests for nearly 50 VIP planes to land on January 21 and 22 as guests come from around the country for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) of Lord Ram.
Not just that. Airlines have also started making a beeline to Ayodhya. Before News18 arrived in Ayodhya from Delhi on the only IndiGo flight to the airport on Monday, a maiden IndiGo flight from Mumbai also landed in Ayodhya before us. Air India starts a flight from Delhi to Ayodhya on Tuesday and from Bangalore and Kolkata on Wednesday.
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Ram Temple trustee Champat Rai told News18 that nearly 100 planes could land in Ayodhya between January 18-22, including at least 25 chartered VIP aircraft on the 22nd. “The Ayodhya airport has been asked to make all arrangements,” Champat Rai said.
For January 21 and 22, over 100 VIPs are expected to land in Ayodhya on nearly 50 special flights ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving at 11am. These special VIP planes may need to be parked at nearby airports in Gorakhpur, Lucknow and Kushinagar as the PM’s aircraft will park in Ayodhya.
FLYING TO AYODHYA
“We are flying to the pavan dharti of Prabhu Sri Ram…Jai Sri Ram,” announced the IndiGo pilot to a loud cheer as the flight took off from Delhi on Monday.
The 560-km long journey takes about 50 minutes as it passes over Aligarh, Lucknow and flies over the Ghagra and Saryu rivers to land in Ayodhya.
Fliers go on a selfie spree once at the airport in Ayodhya — and we find Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak there to receive senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh and RSS leaders Ram Lal and Krishna Gopal who have arrived on the same flight at Ayodhya.
With its beautiful wall paintings, the airport is a sight to behold.
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Art pieces depicting stories from religious texts adorn the walls of the Ayodhya airport. (News18)
“I feel like I have landed in heaven…I will try my luck in Ayodhya to find an invite for the January 22 ceremony,” said our co-passenger Ashish Singh, an NRI who has come from Seattle, US to see the Ram Temple. “I am marvelling at this beautiful airport. I have seen many airports in the US and this one is better than all of them. I have never seen such beautiful paintings.”
Art pieces depicting stories from religious texts adorn the walls of the Ayodhya airport. (News18)
Mangilal Solanki, another passenger, said he had visited all Jyotirlings, as well as Kailash Parvat and famous temples in Nepal. “I have finally got the good fortune of coming to Ayodhya and praying to Ram Lalla. It is a great feeling,” he said.
A Sikh gentleman, Kishan Singh, arrived at Ayodhya airport after travelling from Ludhiana in Punjab. “Jai Sri Ram! I will stay here till January 22 and want to pay obeisance to Lord Ram who has called me here. I never thought I would be able to come to Ayodhya by a flight… this is all due to Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath,” Singh said.
A tree outside the Ayodhya airport is decorated with lights and lamps. (News18)
A pre-paid taxi counter has become operational at the airport for the convenience of passengers. The flight was packed on Monday with not a seat to spare. Many passengers told News18 that they wanted to travel to Ayodhya before January 20 as otherwise it would become difficult to be in the town later for the January 22 ‘Pran Pratishtha’ event.
LEADERS SPEAK
“Sri Ramjanmabhoomi and Ayodhya have become the world’s capital in spirituality and tourism. Maximum tourists and those seeking spirituality will come to Ayodhya and hence this airport is so important. That is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisioned a grand airport and railway station here,” senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh told News18 at the airport in Ayodhya. Chugh said road connectivity, too, had been improved and all this has made it much easier for people to come to Ayodhya.
Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh Brajesh Pathak said Ayodhya was being developed as a global tourist destination. “Soon after ‘Pran Pratishtha’, people will get a grand darshan of ‘Ram Lalla’. It will be an unforgettable sight for anyone who comes here,” Pathak said.
