Ram Mandir enthusiasm: Two youths from Odisha set out for Ayodhya on foot

Berhampur: Two youths from Odisha have set out on a journey to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to worship in the Ram temple. However, it is possible that the temple inauguration, scheduled for January 22, will be missed, or it may take more than 40 days to travel the distance of more than 1,400 kilometers from Berhampur town in Odisha’s Ganjam district. Before starting their journey on Sunday, two 22-year-old friends, Quresh Behera and Sonu Bisoi, residents of Chandapur and Kanishi areas respectively, offered prayers at the Ram temple at Kanishi near Berhampur town. With bags on their backs and flags in their hands, both of them proceeded towards Ayodhya amid slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ from the villagers gathered at the temple. Some people also stayed with him for the next 10 to 15 kilometers. Behera said he found encouraging moments of solidarity and that many people, including women, welcomed him with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the first day of his visit. “We have set a target of walking 30 to 35 kilometers a day to reach Ayodhya in the next 40 days. We will lose the temple inauguration ceremony, but we will offer prayers later,” Behera said. “We will have darshan of Lord Ram enshrined in the temple in Ayodhya. We will seek blessings of Lord Ram in our village before starting our journey,” Bisoi said. As many as Behera or Bisoi work in private companies. He planned to stay in roadside temples at night and make people aware of the need to adopt the spiritual path.