The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday said 136 local guides have been equipped to educate tourists about Ayodhya’s historical and cultural significance as well as its contemporary changes, in response to a huge influx of visitors to the Ram temple.
According to officials, lakhs of devotees have thronged the temple since the consecration programme on January 22.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh distributed licenses and identity cards to 22 tourist guides in Lucknow on Friday, empowering them to enlighten visitors about various aspects of Ayodhya, including its rich history and culture.
Local guides are also being trained to communicate in languages such as Gujarati, Nepali, Telugu, and Bengali, especially to those who come to the temple city from southern and western parts of the country.
At Manyavar Kanshiram Institute of Tourism Management, Lucknow, training in Bengali, Gujarati, Nepali and Telugu has been given in about 40 days. This includes 47 Gujarati, 39 Telugu, 27 Bengali, and 23 Nepali language guides. Almost all the students have knowledge of Hindi and English language. Apart from this, some students will also be able to communicate in Marathi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Kannada, French, and Russian and Korean languages, an official said.
After completing the rigorous 40-day training, 136 students who passed will receive licenses as local-level tourist guides, valid for 10 years with the option for renewal. Currently, 13 tourist guides are already serving in Ayodhya on behalf of the institute.
A significant number of the licensed students, more than 100, hail from Ayodhya and its surrounding districts, possessing intimate knowledge of the city’s religious, spiritual, geographical, social, economic, and historical aspects. Their training included insights into Ayodhya’s evolving landscape and future requirements, complemented by field visits and guidance from experienced tourist guides working in Ayodhya.