Varanasi , Dec 13 (IANS): With exactly a month left before rituals in the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya begin, the demand for Shri Ram and Hanuman flags has started surging.

Traders dealing in ‘patakas’ (pennant) have received orders from Hindu frontal organisations, residential colonies, apartments and individuals for saffron flags with Shri Ram/ Ayodhya on them.

Surat Ram, a prominent trader in Varanasi said, “We have already received 50,000 flag orders with Shri Ram and Hanuman printed on them and that of temple structure imprint in the past fortnight and hope to supply around three lakh more in the city and adjoining districts in January.”

He added, “There has been a sudden surge in the demand of saffron coloured Shri Ram printed flags and red coloured Shri Hanuman pataka (flag) among the devotees.” Orders are for different sizes and shapes of religious flags. We have been engaging more tailors to cope up with the demand.”

Meanwhile, the authorities of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Kashi Prant) have also ordered for 10,000 saffron flags to be installed at temples and houses in Prayagraj alone.

VHP (Kashi Prant) president K.P. Singh said, “We have been appealing to people of Hindu community to install saffron flag or Shri Ram/ Hanuman pataka at their houses on January 22. We would also be distributing the flags among the devotees.”

Apart from VHP, the volunteers of RSS and other Hindu frontal organisations have also decided to distribute the flags among devotees with an objective that the house of each Hindu community member hoists it on the day of Lord Ram and temple consecration.