At least 47 babies were delivered in different hospitals in three districts of Madhya Pradesh on Monday as the country celebrated the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla at the temple in Ayodhya, health officials said.
While 33 babies were born in three hospitals in Indore, the figure was 13 for Damoh and one for Bhopal, they said.
In Indore's state-run PC Sethi hospital, 18 babies, comprising nine girls and as many boys, were born on Monday, Dr Veerendra Rajgir told PTI.
While 17 were normal deliveries, one was a caesarean procedure, Rajgir added Eleven infants were born through normal deliveries, while three were delivered by caesarean operation at the government-run MTH Hospital in Indore, senior gynaecologist Dr Sumitra Yadav told PTI.
The infants, comprising eight girls and six boys, are doing well, she added.
Similarly, a girl was born in a caesarean delivery at Depalpur Civil Hospital, Dr Sushma Boriwal said. The baby was born to the couple Sanjana and Lokesh, she said.
Talking to PTI, Lokesh said, "I was in touch with the doctors and medical staff of the hospital to have the baby delivered on January 22, but was told it had not completed its term. However, Sanjana complained of pain around 11 am, after which the operation was performed." Both the mother and child are in good health, he said.
A boy was born through caesarean procedure in a private hospital in capital Bhopal, Dr Manisha Jain said.
In Damoh district, seven boys and six girls were born during the day, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Vishal Shukla said.
"I have named my son Ram as he was born on this auspicious day," one of the new mothers Dhankunwar said.
The total number of births on Monday across the state will take time to compile, a senior health official pointed out.