After ‘Deepotsav’ and ‘Saryu Aarti’ in Ayodhya, the UP government will organise ‘Ayodhya Mahotsav’ in the temple town.
After ‘Deepotsav’ and ‘Saryu Aarti’ in Ayodhya, the UP government will organise ‘Ayodhya Mahotsav’ in the temple town. (Dheeraj Dhawan/HT Photo)
The state tourism department will organise the 11-day fest at the Government Inter College from December 27.
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“The history of Ayodhya and its culture will be showcased in the event along with other aspects of the historic city,” said Ved Prakash Gupta, BJP MLA, Ayodhya assembly constituency, who is chief coordinator of the event.
The state government will also provide a platform to artisans of Ayodhya and its adjoining districts to showcase their handicrafts.
The government has invited artisans from Basti, Ambedkar Nagar, Gonda, Barabanki, Sant Kabir Nagar and other parts of the state.
President of Ayodhya Mahotsav Nyas Harish Kumar Srivastava informed that several pre-events will also be organised before the Mahotsav.
Among other events at the school and college level, competitions like general knowledge, painting, sketching, essay-writing, rangoli, and kalash decoration will be organised.
Promoting religious tourism is on the priority list of the state government and Ayodhya is an important component of the project.
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In the 2018-19 budget, the state government had given importance to lord Ram’s birthplace, Ayodhya.
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In the 2018-19 budget, the state government had given importance to lord Ram’s birthplace, Ayodhya.
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A provision of ₹10 crore was made for Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya on November 6 to mark Diwali festivities. On this occasion, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had announced renaming of Faizabad as Ayodhya.
Some part of this budget was also allocated for Dev Deepawali celebrations in Varanasi and the ongoing Lucknow Mahotsav.
Pawan Dixit, Assistant Editor, brings over 20 years of frontline reporting experience to the newsroom. A specialist on Uttar Pradesh politics and governance, he has reported from the ground across the state’s most consequential stories. He cut his teeth in eastern UP, spending 15 years covering the region. Based in Varanasi, he reported the 2012 UP Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that reshaped the state’s political map. Moving to Lucknow in 2016, he has since led coverage of the 2017 and 2022 UP Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. His reporting tracks the BJP’s strategy, opposition moves, and voter sentiment across all 75 districts. Pawan has been a constant presence in Ayodhya since 2016. He reported the entire arc of the Ram Mandir movement — from the legal fight to the Supreme Court verdict, through temple construction, to the inauguration. He continues to track every development at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. On the state beat, he covers the BJP, the Industrial Development Department, and handles key outstation political assignments. He also reports major cases from the district court, Lucknow bench of the High Court, and the State Information Commission. Along with this, he also reports on NGT's important decisions related to UP. Known for sharp sourcing and clear analysis, Pawan connects politics, policy, infrastructure and faith — the forces driving UP today. He has reported developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir movement since 2016. The Supreme Court's Ram Mandir verdict, temple construction and the its opening have been reported by him.
He reports all developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir Trust.
He covers state BJP, Industrial development department, outstation political assignments, reports special cases from district court, high court and state information commission
