A New Cultural Awakening in Chhattisgarh’s Silver Jubilee Year: Special Train Departs from Raipur under ‘Shri Ramlala Darshan Yojana’

850 Devotees Depart for Ayodhya; CM Vishnu Deo Sai Extends Blessings for Sacred Pilgrimage

Raipur : As part of the Chhattisgarh government’s visionary initiative to uphold the faith and devotion of its citizens, a special train carrying 850 pilgrims departed today from Raipur to Ayodhya Dham under the Shri Ramlala Darshan Yojana. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai extended his heartfelt blessings to the devotees and wished them a spiritually fulfilling journey.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Sai said that this noble journey, providing free darshan of “Bhancha Ram”—Lord Shri Ram—to devotees, continues uninterrupted. He remarked that the yatra is fulfilling the guarantee made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer every Indian the opportunity to visit the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Initially, the government had aimed to send 20,000 pilgrims to Ayodhya by March 2024. However, due to overwhelming public response and the government’s strong commitment, more than 22,000 devotees have already completed the pilgrimage. The yatra also includes the added spiritual benefit of visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Dham.

For the financial year 2025–26, a budget of ₹36 crore has been allocated to the scheme. Over the past 18 months, 27 special trains have already departed from various divisions of Chhattisgarh for Ayodhya.

CM Sai emphasized that the Shri Ramlala Darshan Yojana is not merely a religious journey but a transformative cultural movement aimed at deepening Chhattisgarh’s spiritual consciousness. The initiative particularly seeks to provide darshan opportunities to the elderly and economically disadvantaged citizens.

The special train flagged off today from Raipur railway station marks the first such journey of FY 2025–26. Revenue, Sports, and Youth Welfare Minister Shri Tankram Verma flagged off the train at 1:00 p.m., as Platform No. 7 echoed with chants of “Jai Shri Ram.” A festive and devotional atmosphere prevailed among the pilgrims and their families.

The departing devotees were welcomed with traditional Chhattisgarhi folk music and dance. IRCTC representatives greeted them with ceremonial tilak.

Several dignitaries were present at the event, including MLAs Shri Purandar Mishra and Shri Motilal Sahu, Guru Khushwant Sahib, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Shri Neelu Sharma, State Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Shri Sanjay Srivastava, State Waqf Board Chairman Dr. Salim Raj, Secretary of Culture and Tourism Dr. Rohit Yadav, Tourism Board MD Shri Vivek Acharya, Collector of Raipur Dr. Gaurav Singh, along with senior officials and IRCTC representatives.

The scheme was conceptualized by CM Vishnu Deo Sai to ensure that every citizen of Chhattisgarh gets an opportunity to visit Ayodhya at least once in their lifetime. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and IRCTC on 23 February 2024. The scheme officially began on 5 March 2024, when CM Sai flagged off the first train from Raipur. Since then, special trains have also been operated from Bilaspur, Sarguja, and the combined Durg-Bastar divisions.

Last year alone, nearly 22,100 devotees visited Ayodhya under this initiative. Weekly special trains from each division will continue to operate throughout the year, ensuring that the sacred journey remains accessible to all.