Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh Government will develop a grand corridor in the heart of the Gariyaband district of Chhattisgarh, said Culture and Tourism Minister Brijmohan Agarwal.
A similar corridor, as developed in Varanasi and Ujjain will come up in the Rajim Mandir complex said the minister after chairing a meeting of the cultural and tourism departments.
According to the information received, Agarwal has instructed the concerned officials to chart out a detailed roadmap about the proposed corridor in Rajim town, also known as the ‘Prayag of Chhattisgarh.’
Located at the confluence of the rivers Mahanadi, Pairi and Shondur, the town of Rajim is home to a significant group of temples, including the historic ‘Rajiv Lochan Mandir’, dedicated to Bhagwan Vishnu and Kuleshwar Mahadev mandir. The town also organises a ‘Kumbh’, a religious gathering where the devotees take bath near the confluence of rivers also called Sangam.
Additionally, Agarwal has also instructed the officials to develop a Shaktipeeth project connecting the significant temples of the State, dedicated to Maa Adi Shakti on lines of Char Dham Corridor.
The proposed Shaktipeeth project will boost facilities for the devotees alongside development work in temples such as Maa Kudurgarhi temple in Kudargarh of Surajpur, Maa Chandrahasni temple of Chandrapur, Mahamaya temple of Ratanpur near Bilaspur, Bimbaleshwari temple located in Rajnandgaon and Danteshwari Mata temple in Dantewada.
Aarti and lighting on consecration ceremony
The minister also instructed the officials to light up the important government buildings of the State on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha (Consecration ceremony) of Ram Lala in Ayodhya on Janauary 22.
Further, the Bhartiya Janata Party stalwart has also informed that Maha Aarti will be organised in the morning and evening of January 22 at all the notable temples of the State.
It is worth mentioning here that earlier, a number of party leaders, including the former union minister and incumbent MLA, Renuka Singh, also appealed to the masses to light a Diya on January 22. In an appeal made by the former union minister, she asserted, “that one should lit two Diyas on January 22 one for the Ram temple and the other for the nation.”
Sri Ram Lala Darshan Yojna
It is to be noted that earlier, the Chhattisgarh Government, in a significant decision, had also announced that it will take around 20,000 people on pilgrimage to Ayodhya every year. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, January 10.
Residents of Chhattisgarh who fall under the age group of 18 to 75 will be eligible for the “Sri Ram Lala Darshan” Yojna (Scheme) after clearing the fitness test conducted by the district medical board, informed Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Chhattisagrh in a social media post.
Dry day on January 22
It is worth mentioning here that the Chhattisgarh government had earlier also decided to observe a ‘dry day’ on January 22 on the occasion of the consecration of Shri Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.
Hailing the decision of the government, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo while interacting with the media, asserted that “It is our fortune that Chhattisgarh is the maternal birthplace of Bhagwan Ram and that the consecration of the Ram Mandir is going to take place in Ayodhya on January 22.”
“There will be an atmosphere of enthusiasm across the State on that day. Like Deepawali, lamps will be lit in homes, and the Chhattisgarh Government has decided to declare January 22 as a dry day in the entire state,” added CM Sai.
Furthermore, the State government has also announced a one-day holiday in the educational institutions and schools of the State on the day of the Pran Prathistha.
It is to be noted that preparations are in final stages for the much-awaited Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Bhagwan Ram in the holy city of Ayodhya on January 22, where dignitaries across all walks of life are expected to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will lead the vedic rituals to be performed during the Pran Pratishtha.
It is pertinent to mention here that the State of Chhattisgarh cherishes its historic connection with Bhagwan Rama, who himself believed to have spent a brief period of time in the tribal heartland during his Vanvas.
