New Delhi [India]: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)’s ‘Shri Ramayana Yatra’ train on the Ramayana circuit commenced from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station on Sunday. Informing about the same, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter 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!” (roughly translated from Hindi) According to a statement issued by the IRCTC earlier, the first tour, that started from Delhi’s Safdarjung Railway Station on Sunday, will cover the visit of all prominent places associated with the life of Lord Rama. The statement informed that IRCTC 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 tour will be completed in 17 days. The first halt of this train will be Ayodhya where tourists will visit Shri Ram Janmbhumi temple and Hanuman temple and additionally Bharat Mandir at Nandigram. 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.
