Naimisharanya in UP set for a major revamp

Lucknow, May 12

The Yogi Adityanath government, in an attempt to boost religious tourism, is all set to revamp and renovate Naimisharanya in Sitapur and bring back its ancient glory.

Naimisharanya is a prominent centre of pilgrimage for Hindus with multiple mythological connections.

Lok Bharti, a civil society organisation, on Thursday started the fourth round of efforts for the revamp of Naimisharanya. The organisation will seek assistance from government organisations as it has been doing since 2011.

Eleven teams of volunteers have been formed to work on the plan.

The district administration of Sitapur and Hardoi and forest department have aligned with Lok Bharti in the effort to plant trees and restore ponds.

"We will take up 20 villages that lie on the 84-kosi distance and work for the revival of ponds and ancient sources of groundwater there," said Brijendra Pal Singh from Lok Bharti.

"The organisations will dig ponds and seek assistance from the government under the Centre's Amrit Sarovar scheme. The other initiative will be to revive the Chitwa river which has dried up," said Singh, adding that it covers a distance of 29 km and flows through 20 villages.

It has a slope of 21 metres which will be rectified to conserve rainwater. Farmers in the villages will be encouraged for cow-based organic farming, which will lead to water conservation.

Naimisharanya has sage's blessings. Legend has it that after Sage Dadhichi gave away all his bones, he invoked the pilgrimage sites and that's how Naimisharanya got them. The place has 10 teerths (pilgrimages).