UP govt to give Rs 1 lakh to each district for Navratri celebrations

LUCKNOW: The state government will release Rs 1 lakh to each UP district for organising Durga Saptashati path, jagrans and bhajans during Chaitra Navratri beginning March 22 and culminating with Ram Navmi on March 30.
In a directive issued to district magistrates, Mukesh Meshram, principal secretary (culture), has said that the money will be utilized in hiring artists who will perform during the cultural and religious events during Navratri period.
Saying that Chaitra Navratri is considered to be the basis of the purity of the soul and nirvana, Meshram added that the festival, during which the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped, is given special importance in the Vedas and Puranas and therefore, during this time, cultural and religious programmes will be organised in the state.
In the two-page order outlining the activities to be undertaken during the nine-day period, Meshram said that the government will run a special campaign to include women and girls in these programmes. Durga Saptashati path, Devi Gayan and Devi Jagran should be organised in temples and shaktipeeths during this period.
“Akhand Ramayan Path should be organised in main Shaktipeeth temples on March 29 and 30 on the occasion of Ashtami and Ram Navmi, in which people should be encouraged to participate and social, humanitarian and nationalist values must be propagated. For this organisation of this event, committees at the level of the district, tehsil and development block should be set up,” he said.
DMs have been asked to identify artists who will perform in temples during this period, and coordinate with the departments of information and culture on this. Information officers posted in districts will provide necessary assistance to the local administration. DMs have also been directed to invite public representatives to these events.
Saying that since these celebrations are being organised by the state government, hoardings publicising the development work done by the government and its various departments at the Shaktipeeths and temples should be put up within the temple premises while the work should also be published in the print media and on social media.
At each programme venue, Meshram said, there should be arrangements for proper sanitation, drinking water, security, sound and light shows, arrangement for sitting etc.
To ensure that its directives are followed and that the festival is celebrated in a grand way, the government has asked for details of important temples and shaktipeeths in each district, their addresses, photographs, GPS location, contact number of temple manager or supervisor, names of artists, their addresses and contact numbers to be provided to the culture department by March 21.
Details of daily programmes are also to be uploaded on the culture department portal by the nodal officer while photographs of the cultural and religious programmes should be uploaded separately on the culture department portal.