PATNA: Ayodhya witnessed a historic and emotional moment on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya when Mahant Prem Chand Das Ji, the 70-year-old Gaddi Nasheen and chief priest of Hanuman Garhi temple, broke a 288-year-old tradition by stepping out of the temple premises to have darshan of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmbhoomi site.
This marked the first time in nearly three centuries that a Gaddi Nasheen ventured beyond Hanuman Garhi's 52-bigha boundary, defying a strict tradition that had barred all previous occupants of the post from ever leaving the temple compound.
Mahant Prem Das Ji, who has held the revered seat as the 22nd Gaddi Nasheen for the past eight years, had never stepped outside the temple in that time. “I am overwhelmed after taking darshan of Ram Lalla from the front. I felt as if he is saying something. The deity often speaks but we are not able to understand,” he said after the visit.
According to temple sources, the custom dated back to the 18th century and was so binding that even legal obligations could not compel a Gaddi Nasheen to appear in court.
However, this year, the Mahant expressed a long-held desire to visit the Ram temple. A meeting of the Nirvani Akhara, which owns Hanuman Garhi, was convened on April 21, where it was unanimously decided to allow the Mahant to visit Ram Lalla.
On Wednesday morning, Ayodhya’s streets were filled with devotees eager to witness the rare procession led by the Gaddi Nasheen. Elephants, camels, horses, and the Akhara’s nishaan (insignia) accompanied the colourful procession from Hanuman Garhi to the Ram temple.
The Mahant was also accompanied by Naga sadhus, disciples, devotees, and local traders. The journey began with a traditional bath at the banks of the River Saryu at 7 am, after which the procession made its way towards the Ram temple.
“After a wait of 500 years, the Ram Lalla temple has been constructed. Therefore, the Gaddi Nasheen of Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi went to have darshan of Ram Lalla. He was accompanied by saints from all four sects after taking a bath in the Saryu River on Akshaya Tritiya. It marked the beginning of a new tradition in Ayodhya,” said Acharya Mithilesh Nandini Sharan, a saint of Hanumat Niwas.
Another priest, Sanjay Das of Hanuman Garhi, revealed that for the past three months, Lord Hanuman had been spiritually inspiring the Mahant to visit Shri Ram Lalla. During the darshan, 56 types of bhog (offerings) were presented to the deity on behalf of the Hanuman Garhi temple.
The Gaddi Nasheen spent nearly an hour on the temple premises, completing a deeply symbolic and spiritually significant journey that has now laid the foundation for what saints call a “new tradition” in Ayodhya.
On January 22, 2024, the idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the newly constructed temple, marking a milestone in a movement that had lasted centuries.