The Ram Mandir Rath Yatra will kick off from Chicago on Monday to travel to 851 temples in 48 states, crossing more than 8,000 miles over the next 60 days, organisers said Thursday.
The rath or chariot built over a Toyota Sienna van will carry statues of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman, along with special prasadam from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and kalash of Prana Pratishtha Pujit Akshat, according to Amitabh Mittal, general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), which is organising the rath yatra.