IRCTC's 'Shri Ramayana Yatra' train reaches Ayodhya station with 132 devotees, Next tour to begin from this date

In its first tour, the IRCTC's special train 'Shri Ramayana Yatra' will cover all prominent places associated with the life of Lord Ram and will finish the tour in 17 days, covering 7,500 km.

Shri Ramayana Yatra train at Delhi's Safdarjung Railway Station

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)'s inaugural 'Shri Ramayana Yatra' train on the Ramayana circuit commenced has reached the Ayodhya junction with 132 devotees onboard. The train started its maiden leg from Delhi's Safdarjung railway station on Sunday (November 7) evening. In its first tour, the IRCTC's special train will cover all prominent places associated with the life of Lord Ram. To be completed in 17 days, IRCTC will run another train on this tour starting December 12. 

According to a statement issued by the IRCTC earlier, the train is getting an overwhelming response for this initiative and the first tour is fully booked. "In view of continuous demand, it is decided to run this tour again on December 12 this year with a similar price and duration." The first halt of this train is Ayodhya where the train has reached today (November 8) and tourists will visit Shri Ram Janmbhumi temple and Hanuman temple and additionally Bharat Mandir at Nandigram.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to inform about the start of the jounrey and said, "Indian Railways will run Ramayana circuit train from today to visit all the important religious places related to Lord Shri Ram. Jai Shree Ram!"

प्रभु श्रीराम से जुड़े सभी महत्वपूर्ण धार्मिक स्थलों के दर्शन हेतु आज से भारतीय रेल चलाएगी रामायण सर्किट ट्रेन। जय श्री राम! pic.twitter.com/VWVE5Bms14 — Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) November 7, 2021

The next destination will be Sitamarhi in Bihar and visit Sita Ji's birthplace and Ram-Janki Temple in Janakpur, covered by road. Following this, the train will move to Varanasi, and tourists will visit temples at Varanasi, Prayag, Shringverpur and Chitrakoot by road. Night stay will be provided at Varanasi, Prayag and Chitrakoot. One of the halts of the train will be Nasik wherein the visit of Trayambakeshwar temple and Panchvati will be covered. After Nasik, the next destination will be Hampi which is the ancient Krishkindha city.

Rameshwaram will be the last destination of this train tour after which the train will return to Delhi on the 17th day of its Journey. Guests will be travelling roughly 7500 Kms in this entire tour. IRCTC has launched this special tourist train in line with the Government of India initiative "Dekho Apna Desh" to promote domestic tourism, at a price of Rs 82,950 per person for 2AC and Rs 1,02,095 for 1AC class. 

With inputs from ANI