Ram Rath Yatra Traverses 27,000 Miles to Unite Hindus Across the US
By Reena Rathore, US
In a monumental effort to bring the sacred blessings of Ram Lalla, the child form of Lord Ram, to Hindu communities across the US, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America spearheaded an ambitious and heartfelt journey, the “Ram Lalla Rath Yatra.” This spiritual odyssey, which commenced at VHPA’s headquarters in Sugar Grove, Illinois, on March 25, covered nearly 27,000 miles, ultimately stretching to 49 states, reaching over 850 temples and weaving a tapestry of devotion and unity among the Hindu diaspora.
The two-month-long trip, a remarkable feat of devotion and determination, was initiated to distribute prasad and akshatam (blessed rice) from the Ram Mandir prana pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, in Ayodhya, India. The inception of the yatra was deeply rooted in a promise made to Hindu temples in the US. Following the grand announcement that the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya would be inaugurated on January 26, 2024, the VHPA reached out to temples across the US through the Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council, encouraging participation in the prana pratishtha ceremony from home or through local events, rather than traveling to India—a turnout which might have overrun local infrastructures. They provided letters and promotional materials with instructions for involvement. Car rallies were held to inform temple communities about the ceremony and stress the importance of staying in the US for the event. The promise included the delivery of prasad from the consecration ceremony to each temple, a vow that fueled the journey’s inception.
“So, how do you make good on a promise to deliver the prasad you pledged in writing, with your signature right there?” recounted Amitabh Mittal, general secretary of VHPA, to Hinduism Today. “I felt personally responsible for this, even more than VHPA itself. And since I love driving—I’ve traveled to every state, though never at this scale—I just thought, ‘I’ll take a car and go.’”
A detailed plan was created with the executive board to ensure the journey was well organized. The plan estimated an 8,000-mile trip, and intended to make it comfortable for participants. A van was acquired and decorated by volunteers to resemble a mini-mandir, and the team of four set off, carrying a replica of Ram Lalla, sacred murtis, and boundless devotion. They received three copies of the statues of Lord Ram, but unfortunately, two were damaged.
The journey began with high spirits, but the task’s magnitude quickly became apparent as the miles and temples added up. They traveled over 500 miles on the first day, visiting nine temples. A key moment came when the team reached the East Coast, having already covered nearly 6,000 miles. “We realized very quickly that this would be humongous,” said Tejal Shah, a key figure in the Hindu Mandir Empowerment Council and joint general secretary of VHPA. Mittal noted, “We realized then that it was going to be far more than 8,000 miles. But that only gave us more energy to keep going.”
Each visit, lasting about 30 minutes, was filled with deep ceremonial significance and followed a strict ritual protocol. At each temple, the team installed the sacred statue of Ram Lalla in a temporary shrine, following rigorous guidelines established by the Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi trustees in Ayodhya, India. This level of care emphasized the spiritual weight of each visit. The significance of the yatra lay not only in the thousands of miles traveled but also in the spiritual connections made at each temple.
During each stop, amidst the chanting of mantras, they performed rituals that included combining the akshatam from Ayodhya with each temple’s own akshatam, symbolizing the unity and continuity of devotion across the country. In Hindu tradition, akshatam holds symbolic meaning and is often used in blessings, representing purity, abundance, and goodwill. After the rituals, the akshatam and other offerings were distributed to the devotees, extending the blessings.
“What it symbolizes is taking your emotions across the USA to all the mandirs,” explained Tejal Shah, a leader in the yatra. “Each temple we visited symbolically travels with us, united in this kumbhakalash that we carry from place to place. It doesn’t deteriorate,” he said, describing the sense of unity felt along the journey. Each temple received an official certificate and a two- by three-foot portrait of Ram Lalla, commemorating the occasion.
Each stop was unique, with local communities warmly embracing the yatra. Gujarati temples welcomed the travelers with garbha dances, South Indian temples greeted them with a poorna kumbha swagat, and North Indian temples celebrated with dhol and tashas (traditional drums). This outpouring of joy, devotion and tears underscored the yatra’s profound impact. “People treated us with immense respect, feeling that, even if they couldn’t go to Ayodhya, Ayodhya had come to them,” said Shah. The unity and emotion witnessed during the yatra were palpable, as each temple welcomed Ram Lalla with open arms and hearts full of devotion.
Deepti Mahajan, VHPA coordinator in the San Francisco Bay Area, joined the yatra for two days. She echoed these sentiments: “People were pleasantly surprised, overwhelmed, and ecstatic, just wanting to touch the murthi and pray to it. Many said they had never seen anything like this before. It was so professionally done, and some even wished they had been involved from the start. People would attend the event at one temple and then follow us to the next,” she recounted.
The yatra followed a carefully planned route managed by a dedicated logistics team to avoid backtracking, adjusting the schedule along the way as new temples were added. Starting from Chicago, the journey zigzagged across the country from the East Coast to the Southern, Western and Northern states before returning to Chicago. Sometimes the team visited as many as 19 temples in a single day, sustained by a sense of duty and the overwhelming support and enthusiasm of local communities.
Early starts and disciplined scheduling kept them on track, with Mittal describing the “military-like regime” they followed to stay organized, visiting multiple temples daily despite delays and the physical toll of the journey. Volunteers joined in for various segments, adding to the collective spirit of devotion. Bharat FM’s Manan Rawal accompanied them from start to finish. The journey was full of unexpected blessings and meaningful encounters.
The trip had its challenges. The team dealt with vehicle repairs, inclement weather, and the physical toll of nonstop travel. However, they felt buoyed by what they called divine interventions—unexpected help and support at crucial moments. For example, Mittal recounted, “It would downpour while we were driving, but the rain would stop when we arrived at a temple.” Wrong turns sometimes led to shorter routes, and they even visited a Ganesh temple in Alaska that had been established by a guru from a Hawaiian monastery, thanks to connections made in Phoenix, Arizona.
In one memorable instance in Washington state, a truck driver who had seen videos of the yatra tracked them to a rest area for the chance to have darshan. Other touching moments included arriving at a remote gas station managed by two Indian women who were eager to have darshan. In another case, the team was given food meant for a group of eight and shared it with truck drivers they met. One memorable stop was Texas A&M, where 400 Hindu students gathered to express their gratitude and excitement.
Despite the obstacles, like reversing on a highway to meet a follower or managing unexpected delays from fallen electrical poles in Missouri, the journey continued without major setbacks.
Shah observed, “The larger impact of the yatra was uniting and connecting with our community. It allowed us to reach every corner of the US, connecting with people we otherwise wouldn’t have reached.” The yatra revealed the community’s deep devotion, even among college students and those at remote temples. Over 200 students gathered at Dartmouth, filling the room and participating with deep emotion in the prayers. This dispelled doubts about the younger generation’s commitment to spiritual activities, said Mittal. “It’s mind-blowing. The room is packed with not an inch of space left…they’re crying, and the prayer is ongoing. It made me question why we underestimate the second generation’s dedication.”
Despite initial concerns about turnout in Vermont, the reception there was warm, showing that communities everywhere, large or small, value these connections. “People in big cities might overlook those in remote areas, thinking ‘let them be,’ but this yatra showed that the entire Hindu community cares,” Mittal said.
Supported initially by VHPA and sustained through donations, the journey relied on faith, trusting that support would come as needed—and it did. Mittal and Shah concluded that the yatra was more than fulfilling a promise; it was a pilgrimage that strengthened the Hindu diaspora, bringing the sacredness of Ayodhya to American soil.
This remarkable journey has been recognized by the World Book of Star Records, with the Prime Minister of Nepal announcing the award on August 11th. An 18-foot-long, 9-foot-wide, and 8-foot-tall replica of Ram Lalla also took center stage during the 42nd India Day Parade in New York on August 18th.