Darshan at Ram Janmabhoomi is free and runs in seven daily slots — 7–9 AM, 9–11 AM, 11 AM–12 PM, 1–3 PM, 3–5 PM, 5–7 PM and 7–9 PM — with three aartis at 4:00 AM, 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM that need a free pass booked on the trust’s own portal.
Figures are from the trust itself (checked 1 October 2026); booking-receipt timings were revised from 18 April 2026 — re-check its site close to travel.
Official darshan slot table
| Slot | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:00–9:00 AM | Usually the calmest window (reported pattern, unconfirmed) |
| 2 | 9:00–11:00 AM | Busy from mid-morning |
| 3 | 11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Last morning slot |
| — | 12:00–1:00 PM | No slot listed (midday break) |
| 4 | 1:00–3:00 PM | Afternoon resumption |
| 5 | 3:00–5:00 PM | |
| 6 | 5:00–7:00 PM | Fills ahead of evening rush |
| 7 | 7:00–9:00 PM | Last slot of the day |
Source: srjbtkshetra.org, last checked 01 October 2026.
Aarti timings (pass required)
| Aarti | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mangal Aarti | 4:00 AM | Earliest; pre-dawn reach needed |
| Shringar Aarti | 6:00 AM | Most-attended morning aarti |
| Shayan Aarti | 10:00 PM | Night aarti |
Source: srjbtkshetra.org, last checked 01 October 2026. A June 2025 Times of India report listed Shringar at 6:15 AM; the trust’s own site says 6:00 AM, and where a trust site and a news report disagree, we follow the trust. The trust’s notification of 18 April 2026 made these the timings reflected on booking receipts.
Aarti passes are free and limited — a 2024 report put attendance at about 30 pass-holders per aarti — which is why they go quickly. The booking walkthrough explains the portal, ID requirements and the 24-hour confirmation step.
Entry rules you should plan around
- Not allowed inside: mobile phones, bags, leather-made items and other personal belongings, per reporting on the temple’s rules (Times of India, June 2025).
- ID: the physical ID you booked your pass with is mandatory for entry — a printed or original copy, not a screenshot (reported by TOI on the aarti-pass process).
- Lockers: reports conflict — some describe free trust lockers near entrances, others a small paid facility run by private operators. We could not confirm this from an official source, so ask at the entry point and keep valuables to a minimum.
- Dress code: no official dress code was found in any source we checked; dress modestly as at any working temple.
- Wheelchairs: free for elderly and differently-abled devotees (reported); our senior guide covers the details.
How long the darshan queue takes
There is no official wait-time figure, and we won’t invent one. What is reported: after a January 2024 crowd-management overhaul, the Hindustan Times described a moving queue of roughly 50 minutes on a heavy day. Traveler reports commonly describe 30–45 minutes on ordinary weekdays and two hours-plus on festival days — treat those as anecdotes, not data. The pattern that holds across sources: earliest slots are calmest, and no day is empty.
Festival days change everything
On Deepotsav week, Ram Navami and New Year’s Day the trust restructures entry and the city runs crowd advisories. The Deepotsav guide and crowd calendar track what changes and when.
Frequently asked questions
What time does darshan start at Ram Mandir?
The first free slot opens at 7:00 AM; the 12–1 PM midday gap is the day’s only closed stretch. The trust’s 18 April 2026 notification is the most recent timing revision — anything older online is stale.
Are mobile phones allowed inside Ram Mandir?
No — phones, bags and leather items are prohibited. Plan the deposit before arrival: reports conflict on whether lockers are free or paid, so carry minimal valuables and confirm at the gate.
Is there any darshan fee or “VIP” shortcut?
Darshan and aarti passes are free — the trust states it charges nothing and authorises no agents. A paid UPSTDC (state tourism) package exists as a separate official channel; anything else claiming paid fast darshan is not the trust’s system.
How long is the darshan queue?
No official figure exists. The only dated reference is the Hindustan Times’ January 2024 report of a ~50-minute moving queue post-overhaul; visitor reports of 30–45 minutes on weekdays and 2+ hours on festivals are anecdotes, not data.
