Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directed to make all necessary arrangements at the state government level to make the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya on January 22, other-worldly, unprecedented and unforgettable.
In a high-level meeting, the CM reviewed various projects, which are underway in Ayodhya and gave necessary directions. “Today the whole world is eagerly looking towards Ayodhya. “Everyone wants to come to Ayodhya. The whole country has become imbued in the spirit of Lord Shri Ram. This is also an opportunity for global branding of UP,” he said.
He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned to ensure a pleasant and satisfying experience for the guests coming for the consecration ceremony as well as tourists and devotees coming afterwards.
Yogi said, “With public cooperation, Ayodhya city will be the standard of safety, convenience and cleanliness. Now only a few days are left for the completion of the much awaited ritual of enshrining Shri Ramlala in the grand and divine Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Awadhpuri. This Shri Ram temple will be a ‘Rashtra Mandir, symbolising cultural, spiritual and social unity of India.”
He said that this historic programme of ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration) is an occasion of joy, pride and self-satisfaction for crores of Sanatan believers. “The entire country is imbued in the spirit of Shri Ram. Deepotsav will be celebrated at Har Dev Temple on January 22 evening. Every Sanatan believer will welcome Ramlala by lighting the Ram Jyoti in their homes and establishments. This is all unprecedented. It is an emotional moment,” he said.
The CM said, “It is our good fortune that we reside in the region where Lord Shri Ram incarnated. The whole world is eagerly looking towards Ayodhya today. Along with the consecration of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, there is an opportunity for global branding of UP.”
He said that after the consecration, a large number of devotees and tourists will come to Avadhpuri every day. “All arrangements for excellent hospitality should be made so that they can have other-worldly experience upon their arrival in UP,” he said.
Yogi said that dignitaries from all over the country are arriving for the consecration ceremony of Ram Lala. “On such a historic occasion, the entire Awadhpuri should be decorated grandly. In coordination with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Teerth Kshetra Trust and central agencies, all necessary arrangements should be made for traffic management and welcoming of guests as per protocol,” he said.
He said that cleanliness is crucial for hospitality. “Everyone will have to work on this. Take public support. Deploy additional manpower. Be it a main road or a street, there should be no dust or filth. There are dustbins placed at various places. There should be arrangements for waste management,” he directed.
The CM said that the restaurant or store run by the state government in Awadhpuri should be established in the name of ‘Mata Shabari’. “Similarly, the night shelter will be developed as ‘Nishadraj Guhya Guest House’. Similarly, other buildings will also be named after the characters of Ramayana period,” he said.
He said that after January 22, Ram devotees from all over the world will arrive in Ayodhya. “For their convenience, signage in different languages should be installed throughout the city. Signage should be in the languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and 9 languages of the United Nations,” he said.
Yogi said that smart signage should be installed on Prayagraj-Ayodhya, Gorakhpur-Ayodhya, Lucknow-Ayodhya, Varanasi-Ayodhya routes. “Information should be disseminated in different languages. There should be no encroachment on these routes. There should be cleanliness and no street vendors should be there. There should be availability of cranes and ambulances. For this, instructions should be given to the concerned districts by the CM’s office,” he said.
He directed to make preparations for transportation of the devotees and tourists from Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Varanasi Lucknow by Volvo buses and helicopter service for their arrival in Ayodhya. “Three helipads are ready in Ayodhya, they should be properly utilised,” he said.
The CM said that there should be no compromise on the security, convenience and cleanliness of Ayodhya. “There should be continuous strong security arrangements in Ayodhya during the consecration ceremony and thereafter. Implement the Safe City project immediately without any delay. Install CCTV cameras. Activate ICCC of Ayodhya before 22nd January. There should be excellent hospitality facilities for devotees and tourists,” he said.
He directed to install railings on both sides of Naya Ghat to Tedhi Bazar road. “The railing should also be decorated. Public toilets should be cleaned regularly. Ensure cleanliness of restrooms at fuel pumps,” he said.
Yogi said that after the formation of the government in the year 2017, the tradition of Saryu aarti was started. “It needs to be made more organised and attractive. Archakas should also be trained. Develop a digital tourist app on Ayodhya containing information about all the basic facilities and important places in the city,” he said.
He said that there were 6 nearby railway stations to reach Ayodhya. “The Transport Department, in coordination with these stations, should make permanent arrangements for good buses to conveniently transport the tourists and devotees landing here to their destination,” he said.
The CM said that cultural presentations should be made in Ayodhya by eminent artists from India and abroad. “An enlightened conference should be organised. ‘Cultural Art Boat Tour’ should be organised on boats in Saryu,” he said.
He said, “On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, cultural programmes like bhajan-kirtan should be organised in all the spiritual places and temples of the state. Along with lamp lighting and donation in temples, programmes like Ram Katha discourse, continuous recitation of Ramayana, Ramcharit Manas and Sunderkand should also be organised. Nagar Sankirtans should be organised in the municipal bodies, in which Ram Mandir Rath and Kalash Yatras should be organised in the cities by including local bhajan and kirtan groups.”
Yogi said that programmes like bhajan-kirtan, recitation of Anavast Ramayana, Ramcharit Manas and Sunderkand should also be organised in the temples of Ayodhya from March 14 to 24. “Ramayana is a wonderful immortal story based on the life of Lord Ram, which teaches us the true meaning of devotion, duty, relationships, religion and karma,” he said.
He said, “The ideals of Shri Ram are being established among the people through various incidents of Ram Katha by many story tellers in the country and abroad. Through such storytellers, the stream of sermons and stories of Ram should flow in Ram’s city Ayodhya.”
The CM said that Ram Lilas staged in different states of the country as well as across the world based on the traditional forms of Lord Shri Ram should be presented. “It has rich culture in states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Karnataka, Sikkim, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Chandigarh. Ramlila troupes from Nepal, Cambodia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia should also be invited,” he said.
