Amid controversy over Ramcharitmanas and as a response to the opposition, the state government has decided to hold the Akhand Ramayan Path on Ashtami and Navami of the Chaitra Navratri beginning on March 22.
The festivities continue for nine days ending on the ninth day, which is also Ram Navami. The formal orders in this regard have already been issued to all district magistrates on March 10.
In his tenure of six years as a chief minister, this if for the first time that CM Yogi Adityanath had issued specific instructions for organizing Ramayana Path
The political experts clearly see this move as CM’s strategy to send out a large political message through his personal devotion for Navratri and Lord Ram.
The circular issued on March 10 addressed to all commissioners and district magistrates was issued by Mukesh Meshram, the principal secretary of UP government’s department of culture. The orders instruct the officials to organize committees with people at the district, block, and village levels to carry out the religious activities at selected temples from March 22.
The order also says that the government wishes to increase the participation of women and girls during the Navratri celebrations and plans to organize mass religious events including ‘paath’ and ‘Durga stuti’ at various Durga temples and major Shaktipeeths across the state.
Also read: UP government plans to establish ‘asthi bank’ at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. – Live Uttar Pradesh
