UP plans year-long religious events; to kick starts from Naimisaranya in Nov
LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanath government has announced to hold year-long cultural activities and religious discourse in the state.
It has chosen Naimisaranya, a Hindu pilgrimage centre in Sitapur; about 90 kilometres from Lucknow, to host the three-day launch ceremony of the event.
Named as ‘Sanskriti Naimisaranya Sankhnadh’, the three day event will begin here on November 27. Legends has it that god had chosen Naimisaranya to establish ‘dharma’ on earth.
Ideologues, political thinkers and professors from across the country will attend the event.
Senior RSS leaders and BJP cadre will also gather at this religious destination to take part in various activities spanning from political and non-political discourse, exchange of ideas and cultural activities.
The year-long events will be organised under the supervision of Chandraprakash Dwivedi, director of the 1991 television epic Chanakya, and Sonal Mansingh, famous Indian classical dancer.
The activities have been planned on a temple premises at Chakra Teerth, a religious place of importance in the vicinity of Naimisaranya.
On day 1, senior RSS leader Krishna Gopal is likely to be the chief guest. The day will witness a wide-spectra of cultural activities by artistes from North East, south-India, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Governor Ram Naik will formally inaugurate the event next day. The day will witness discussions and discourse in various sessions. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will be the chief guest on concluding day on November 29. Seminars and religious discourse will be held.
The year-long events will be organised at places of religious and historic importance all across the state. They are yet to be finalized.
Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, will host the concluding ceremony of the year-long event in December 2018. Majestic ghats of Kashi will be illuminated for cultural extravaganza extending into several days. Artistes from Varanasi and other places will perform at ghats of Kashi to mark the concluding ceremony, said Girish Chandra Mishra, one of the coordinators of the Naimisaranya event.
Religious tourism is on priority list of the Yogi government. After years of alleged neglect, Ayodhya is back into focus with the chief minister leading the grand Diwali celebrations.
Entire city was lit-up and Ram Ki Paidi on banks of river Saryu was aglow with around 200,000 diyas.
GOVERNOR RAM NAIK WILL FORMALLY INAUGURATE THE EVENT NEXT DAY. THE DAY WILL WITNESS DISCUSSIONS AND DISCOURSE IN VARIOUS SESSIONS.