Indians living in Paris have organised two events to celebrate the “glory of Lord Ram” on January 21 under ‘Ayodhya Mandir Mahotsav’.

First, there will be a ‘Ram Rath Yatra’ in which Lord Ram will be taken across the main points of the French capital. There will also be elaborate Puja and Aarti, distribution of Prasad followed by a brief cultural performance. The ‘Ram Rath Yatra’ will start at 12 pm from Place De La Chapelle and finish at Place De Trocadero — where the iconic Eiffel Tower is— at 3 pm. The yatra will start by offering prayers and ‘Vishwa Kalyan Yagna’ at a Ganesha temple at 10.30 am at La Chapelle, organisers told News18. After that, the yatra will pass by Place De La Republique, Musée de Louver (Louver Museum), the iconic Arc De Triomphe and finally reach Place De Trocadero.

Avinash Mishra, the main organiser and also president of Overseas Friends of BJP in France, told News18, “We are expecting 150 to 200 people to join the yatra. But we are expecting more than a thousand people to assemble near the Eiffel Tower for the Puja and cultural programme. Already more than 400 have registered with us. That number will swell.” He further said one of the concerns of the organisers is the harsh cold conditions in Paris. “We want to wrap up everything by 4 in the evening,” he was quoted as saying.

The chariot on which Lord Ram will travel across the main points of Paris will be a reminder of the ‘Rath Yatra’ of the 90s when BJP patriarch Lal Krishna Advani began his journey from Somnath on September 25, 1990 — Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary — to culminate at Ayodhya on October 30, after traversing 10,000 km.

After the completion of the ‘Ram Rath Yatra’ at Place De Trocadero, the action will shift to Eiffel Tower. “There will be Puja as well as the Aarti. Huge cutouts of Lord Ram have been ordered, which will adorn areas around the Eiffel Tower. We will also have a cultural event where songs of Lord Ram will be performed. We have invited saints as well who will deliver speeches there. We will also distribute Prasad,” Mishra told News18.

Efficient land use, minimum congestion, a focus on dharamshalas and homestays, and upgrading the infrastructure while retaining the historical and cultural character of the city are some of the highlights of the plan, the report added.

“Ayodhya is anticipated to become a global tourism destination with a focus on spiritual, cultural, heritage assets and events as the city is likely to grow manifold with a significant demand in hospitality and allied industries.

“The city is envisaged to be developed as a mega centre for tourist, economic and religious activities. More than three lakh devotees are expected to visit Ayodhya daily within the next three-four years,” Kukreja was quoted as saying.

Sastry is following the Ayodhya-Rameswaram route, mirroring Lord Ram’s ‘Vanavas’ (exile) in reverse. Sastry is retracing the steps by carrying gold-plated footwear, made with ‘panch dhatu’ (five metals) worth Rs 65 lakh ($78,133) for Lord Ram and intends to present the article to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath upon reaching Ayodhya. Sastry had previously donated five silver bricks to the Ram Temple.

Sastry started the journey on July 20 last year, stopping along the Shiva Lingas established by Lord Ram. The devotee hopes to reach Ayodhya in the next 10 days, having visited important landmarks such as Puri in Odisha, Trimbak in Maharashtra and Dwaraka in Gujarat.

“My father participated in ‘kar seva’ in Ayodhya. He was a strong devotee of Lord Hanuman. His desire was to see the Ram temple built in Ayodhya. As he is no more, I decided to fulfill his desire,” Sastry said as quoted by PTI.

After the journey, Sastry plans to settle down permanently in Ayodhya by constructing a house in the sacred city.