Lucknow, 10 Sept : Amid the building of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple at Ayodhya, which is expected to be finished by January 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government is undertaking a number of additional efforts to establish Ram’s identity throughout the state. Steps are being done to create a religious tourist circuit as well as to connect aspects of the Hindu god’s life from the Ramayana to societal stories.
UP government plans to develop Shringverpur Dham as religious and cultural center
Sanjay Kumar Khatri, the outgoing district magistrate of Prayagraj, examined Shringverpur Dham, 45 kilometers from the city, touted as the capital of the Nishad Kingdom, last week. This is thought to be the meeting place of Ram, who Hindus believe is an incarnation of Vishnu, and Nishadraj Guha, the monarch of the Nishads, a boat-people community.
The Uttar Pradesh government intends to develop the site as a religious and cultural center, telling the narrative of the two kings, with Guha washing Ram’s feet with Ganga water. The Uttar Pradesh Projects Corporation Limited will construct the three-acre site for a cost of 20 crore. On the intended location, an auditorium and a Sri Ram library holding religious books are also planned.
Statues of Ram and Guha will also be erected at a nearby park named after Nishadraj. Recently, there has been an attempt to unite the OBC into a single vote bank. It is generally known that the BJP employs similar symbolic themes to link Ram to OBC groups. These steps have cultural significance, but they also have social and political implications, said Ram Dutt Tripathi, a political analyst based in Lucknow.
Nishadraj Jayanti is celebrated on a huge scale by the Nishad community across Uttar Pradesh and the Hindi belt in April, on the fifth day of the Shukla Paksha of the Chaitra month (waxing phase of the moon in the Chaitra month) according to the Hindu calendar. Processions and social programs are organized, with leaders from all political parties in attendance. The cultural department of the State Government organizes programs at Shringverpur that highlight Ram’s relationship with Nishadraj. The ruling BJP and its allies in Uttar Pradesh have also organized Nishadraj Jayanti celebrations.
Through these grand Nishadraj Jayanti celebrations, the Nishad community’s consciousness is growing. On this day, there has been a rise in such social events during the previous decade. The goal is to uplift the community, explained Harishchandra Kewat, who leads a Nishad social forum in Varanasi.
Uttar Pradesh to build Ramayana Museum and Cultural Centre
Ramayana Museum: According to a State Government announcement, Uttar Pradesh has also planned a Ramayana Museum and Cultural Centre in roughly 10 acres in Barabanki district, between Ayodhya and Lucknow, at a cost of 150 crore, to assist tourists receive a grand and divine darshan of Ram’s life. The project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2021, has not seen much progress, but with the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, it is expected to take shape soon, according to a government official.
The Ramayana-related art gallery, library, research and publication division, Ramlila training center, and other themed cultural enhancements will be housed there.
The maiden edition of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show, which will be hosted at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida from September 21 to 25, will feature a number of cultural activities based around Ram and the epic Ramayana. The flagship One District One Product will be presented to a crowd of over 500,000 attendees. Dozens of local performers from the Awadh area will present Ram-themed songs. At least two of the six major shows over the course of five days will be dedicated to Ram. Special visitors will be greeted at the trade expo with artifacts created by artisans that depict his life and journey.
