Faizabad becomes Ayodhya as Yogi pushes 2019 agenda

AYODHYA: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday rechristened Faizabad district after Lord Ram’s Ayodhya, in a move seen as meant to compensate for the delay in the construction of the temple and thicken the saffron coating on BJP’s plans for next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The CM also announced setting up of a new airport to be named after Lord Ram and a medical college in the name of his father, King Dashrath, in the district.
So far Ayodhya has been a town in Faizabad district. The Yogi government had given a peep into its plan last year when it upgraded Faizabad municipal board into a municipal corporation and named it Ayodhya Municipal Corporation.
Yogi was speaking at Deepotsav, an event to mark the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravan and the end of his 14-year exile from his kingdom. “Ayodhya is a symbol of our ‘Aan, Baan Aur Shaan’ (honour, pride and prestige). Nobody can do injustice to it,” said Yogi at the function amid slogans of “Mandir Ka Nirman Karo” (start construction of temple).
“Ayodhya is known because of Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram,” Yogi stressed as he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for working to revive the glory of the city.
Yogi scaled up the Deepawali celebrations in the city. Speaking on Tuesday, he said he has more plans for the city, especially one for cleaning up Saryu river. “Every time I come to Ayodhya, the seers say that the drains falling into the Saryu should be stopped. Under Namami Gange, money has been sanctioned to ensure that drains in Faizabad and Ayodhya will not fall into Saryu,” he said.
“We want to develop Ramji’s Paidi on the lines of Hariji’s Paidi in Haridwar. Along with developing Ramji’s Paidi, we are also carrying out various other programmes. In the coming days, Ayodhya will be developed even further. We are also making a new medical college. It will be named after Raja Dashrath. We are also making an airport here. It will be named after Maryada Purushottam Bhagwan Ram,” he said.
Lord Ram loomed larger over the Deepotsav celebrations the Yogi government launched last year. Beating of drums, loud chants of Jai Sri Ram, music and dance with artistes from all over the country showcasing their skills and recreating the welcome Lord Ram received after he came back from exile was how the ancient town woke up to on Chhoti Diwali on Tuesday.
He was present at the Queen Hu memorial where Korean First Lady laid the foundation of a grand memorial for the Queen of Korea who, as per legend, belonged to Ayodhya.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “It is a matter of immense joy and pride that Mrs. Kim Jung-sook, First Lady of the Republic of Korea visited Ayodhya and also wore traditional Indian clothing. The people of India deeply appreciate this gesture. @moonriver365.”
“Ayodhya and South Korea have an ancient link. This link forms the cornerstone of historical and civilisational bonds between India and the Republic of Korea. @moonriver365,” he said.
Dressed as Ram, Sita and Laxman, artistes descended from helicopter, symbolising the government’s attempt at bringing Ram Rajya. Raj Abhishek and ‘aarti’ of the artistes was followed by illumination of three lakh ‘diyas’ at the Ram Ki Paidi, laser and water show and colourful Ram Lila performances by various groups.
The procession (Shobha Yatra), taken out from Saket Degree College, covered a distance of 3 km to reach the Ram Katha Park as hundreds from outside, including tourists, joined the locals to rejoice in the “homecoming” of Lord Ram.
The renaming of Faizabad came a month after the Yogi government changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and is seen as reflecting a design to stamp saffron prominently on the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.
The CM, contrary to anticipation, did not announce the plan to install a giant statue of Lord Ram on the banks of Saryu river, but political circles don’t rule out the possibility of that happening during the lead-up to the Lok Sabha polls.
The state government eyed a Guinness record by lighting up over three lakh diyas at the Ram Ki Paidi to beat its own record of last year when over one lakh clay diyas were lit at the venue.