Uttar Pradesh Tourism hosts grand familiarisation tour for Indian tour operators and travel media
The Department of Tourism & Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, hosted a grand familiarisation tour for the Indian tour operators and travel media from Nov 1-4, 2021, on the sidelines of the much-awaited Deepotsav festival in Ayodhya.
Apan-India group of Indian tour operators and travel media were invited to witness the fifth edition of ‘Deepotsav’ (festival of lamps) in Ayodhya, which was organised by the Department of Tourism & Culture Government of Uttar Pradesh in tandem with FICCI. Attended by 60 tour operators, IATO and Travel media members, the tour was a grand initiative with an aim to showcase the hidden wonders that Ayodhya holds within, the idea was also to share with the visiting delegates the road map for Ayodhya’s future development. The perks of VIP treatment provided to the group only added to the ease and fun, the group was given access to the special passes and clearances along with a proper pilot escort, making the experience smooth and unforgettable, even amidst the peak of festivity and heavy footfall in the ancient city of Ayodhya.
All delegates visited the Ram Lalla temple site where the foundation stone was earlier laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The new temple is also under construction. The delegates also
visited the famous Hanuman Garhi temple, ‘Bal Hanuman sitting on Lap of Maa Anjani’, the deity enshrined in this temple. Hanuman ji is considered the guardian deity of the city of Ayodhya. The group was then accorded a grandiose welcome at Kanak Bhawan, greeted by Sanskrit Shloka chanting by the students of the ‘Vashisth Gurukul’, and witnessing the Aarti ceremony. The entire ‘Ayodhya Walk’ experience was well-curated by Prateek Hira and his team from Tornos, who ensured that everyone had the perfect ‘Darshan’ experience. The boat ride on the Holy Saryu river along the ghats was another indelible experience. The whole delegation was also hosted and welcomed with a cocktail and dinner on November 1, at the Renaissance Marriott Lucknow, co-organised by Tornos, Renaissance Marriott Lucknow and Marriott Fairfield Lucknow.
A symposium ‘Rediscovering Ayodhya as a preferred Tourism Destination’ was organised at Ayodhya on November 2, 2021, under the stewardship of Dr. Neelkanth Tiwari, State Minister, Independent Charge, Tourism, Culture & Religious Affairs. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Mukesh Kumar Meshram, I.A.S. Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture Government of Uttar Pradesh, further shared his vision of New Ayodhya and various developments that were underway. The High commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Roger Gopaul, was the guest of Honour and he expressed his quest for searching his Indian roots back to the region and how the Ramayana was the sole binding source of spiritual solace for all indentured labourers that were transported to lands far away by the British regime more than a 150 years ago.
On November 3, 2021, Ayodhya was abuzz with dignitaries that included Yogi Aditya Nath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Tourism Minister, H.E. Pham Sanh Chau, Ambassador of Vietnam, H.E. Willy K. Bett, High Commissioner of Kenya and H.E. Dr. Roger Gopaul, High Commissioner of Trinidad & Tobago.
The Deepotsav 2021 festivities unfurled on a grandiose scale with great fervour and excitement as a sea of humanity stood by to witness the Ritual worship of Shri Ram, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman ji, and also the lighting of almost a million oil-filled earthen diyas to mark the Deepotsav 2021.
Breaking the previous year’s Guinness World Record of 6,06,569 lit earthen diyas, the fifth edition of Deepotsav created a new Guinness World Record of more than nine lakh lit earthen diyas. The audience was spellbound with the sound and light show on Ramayana projected on the ghats of Ram-ki-Paidi, followed by an astounding laser and fireworks display.
What a monumental welcome it was for Sri Ram to his own city, Ayodhya!