Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said his government was developing Lalapur and Rajapur in Chitrakoot district— the two places associated with sage Valmiki and Tulsidas. He also said his government was working for the benefit of the Valmiki community and added a member of the community had also been made head of a commission to ensure that community’s interests were served better.
The CM said this on the occasion of birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki. Addressing a function at a Valmiki temple in Lucknow, he, while recalling how both sage Valmiki and Tulsidas had helped spread the life and times of Lord Rama among the people, said, “It’s such a divine coincidence that as we celebrate the birth anniversary of this great saint, a majestic Ram temple is taking shape in Ayodhya. That’s not all for my government is also developing Lalapur and Rajapur, the two places in Chitrakoot associated with Valmiki ji and Tulsidas ji.”
Located on the Chitrakoot-Prayagraj highway, Lalapur is associated with sage Valmiki who the penned the Ramayana in Sanskrit and Rajapur, a town and tehsil of Chitrakoot, is associated with Tulsidas who authored the Ramcharitmanas.
Yogi, who in 2021 had visited Valmiki Ashram in Lalapur, some 30 km from Prayagraj, said his government planned a ropeway and other facilities to enable devotees and tourists to reach the Valmiki Ashram located atop a hill.
{{/usCountry}}Yogi, who in 2021 had visited Valmiki Ashram in Lalapur, some 30 km from Prayagraj, said his government planned a ropeway and other facilities to enable devotees and tourists to reach the Valmiki Ashram located atop a hill.
{{/usCountry}}“We are developing both Rajapur and Lalapur as the contribution of both the great personalities because of whom these places became famous is immeasurable,” the CM said. At present to reach Valmiki Ashram at Lalapur, one has to climb around 480 stairs.
“We will do all we can to help you,” Yogi said. Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, former minister and lawmaker Ashutosh Tandon ‘Gopal’, lawmaker Neeraj Bora were among others present on the occasion.
The Yogi government had earlier ordered that sage Valmiki’s anniversary be celebrated in a big way. The programmes that the government lined up included continuous recitation of the Ramayana at all temples of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman.