Ayodhya: Sri Rama Navami celebrations begin at 3.30 am on Wednesday at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A huge rush of devotees is being witnessed in Ayodhya on the occasion of Ram Navami and the Ram temple doors were opened for pilgrims.

The highlight of the festivities will be the Surya Tilak when the Sun’s rays will fall on the forehead of Ram Lalla. The Surya Tilak of the deity has been made possible by an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses. The system was tested by a team on Tuesday.

The basic objective of the Surya Tilak project is to focus a tilak on the forehead of the Shri Ram idol on every Shri Ram Navami day. Dr S.K. Panigrahi, Scientist at CSIR-CBRI Roorkee said that under this project, sunlight will be brought on the forehead of Lord Ram at noon on Shri Ram Navami in the Chaitra month every year.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended the period of darshan on the occasion and said that no special darshan will be organized on the day. The earlier passes have also been cancelled.

Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said that during the Ram Navami festival, darshan will continue from 3:30 am in the Brahma Muhurta. Shringaar Aarti of Ram Lalla will take place at 5 a.m.

At the time of offering food to God, the curtain will be drawn for a short period. The sequence of darshan will continue till 11 pm. After this, there will be Bhog and Shayan Aarti as per the routine.

After Shayan Aarti on Ram Navami, prasads will be available at the exit from the temple. Darshan will be facilitated if the devotees keep their mobile, shoes, slippers, big bags and prohibited items safely away from the temple. There will be no VIP darshan till April 19^th.