Chhattisgarh Congress bets on ‘Ramayan circuit’ for upcoming polls – The New Indian Express

RAIPUR: The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh leaves no room for its big rival, the BJP, to do religious politics in the state. With Assembly elections just a year away, the government of Bhupesh Baghel is pushing for the timely execution of its ambitious “Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit” project, which aims to boost religious tourism.

The project is to develop and beautify nine key locations that would lie along the route of Lord Ram’s 14 year exile.

Incidentally, the government has scheduled this year’s Ram Navami on Sunday to inaugurate the renovated Shivrinarayan Temple, second on the list of nine sites marked in the first phase of the pilgrimage circuit project. It comes after the renovated Mata Kaushalya Temple was opened to devotees in October last year.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will officially inaugurate the renovated temple. “We planned to develop Shivirinarayan on the lines of Ayodhya. Chhattisgarh has a glorious past associated with the Ramayana. The state government is developing nine places under Ram Van Gaman Road,” Baghel said.

Shivrinarayan is an important pilgrimage center where Lord Ram is said to have stayed during his 14 years of exile. The state government is simultaneously holding a Ramayana recital competition at the temple, located on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Janjgir-Champa district.

Troupes consisting of 350 eminent artists from 25 districts of the state are performing in the three-day recital competition on “Manas Gayan” (Ramcharit Manas Recital), the results of which will be announced on Sunday.

“Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will hand out a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to the top three winners,” the government spokesperson said.