The Yogi Adityanath government is organising a variety of cultural programmes at different locations in Ayodhya to enhance the grandeur and divinity of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Shri Ram.
The responsibility to organise such events has been assigned to the culture department. The Lalit Kala Academy, which operates under the culture department, has meticulously planned the schedule of various events.
The planned events include a wall painting workshop on the prominent walls of Ayodhya Dham, captivating sand art portraying Lord Rama along the banks of the Saryu River, an exhibition showcasing Ram Bal Leela and diverse artworks, as well as programmes featuring mehndi application and photography. These initiatives started on 18 January and are set to continue incessantly until and after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
The director of the Uttar Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, Dr Shraddha Shukla, said that approximately 40 artists from various districts across the state are currently engaged in the creation of wall paintings. These paintings cover nearly 3,000 square feet on the CRPF wall near the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, about 1,500 square feet on the wall of the Ayodhya collectorate building, and approximately 1,200 square feet on the wall of the irrigation department building situated on the Ram Ki Paidi Marg.
Additionally, statues of Maharishi Valmiki, Lord Surya and Lord Ganesha made from Odisha sandstone are being installed at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Surya Kund and Ganesha Kund, respectively. Moreover, commencing from 18 January, an exhibition featuring sculptures and paintings based on various episodes such as Lord Ram’s Bal Leela, Lord Ram’s Gurukul Leela, Hanuman Leela, Tadka Vadh, Sita’s Swayamvar, Ram-Jatayu Milan, and Hanuman-Sita Milan is being organised. This exhibition, showcasing artistic expressions through paintings, will continue until 26 January.
Furthermore, a total of 50 artists from various districts of the state will create 40 paintings and 10 sculptures. Besides, home studio workshops based on Lord Shri Ram and characteristics of his life will be organised in 10 districts of the state, namely Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Meerut, Bareilly and Lucknow. These workshops are scheduled to be organised from 1-29 February. Subsequently, an exhibition featuring the selected artifacts from the workshops will be organised in Ayodhya Dham.
The State Lalit Kala Academy, in collaboration with the culture department, is organising mehndi and other workshops for women and girls. Supported by the Asia Delphic Council, these workshops will see the participation of a thousand artists.
As part of the Ramotsav program, a three-day independent photography competition will be held for photographers from the state and the country. The competition will begin on 20 January and conclude on 23 January. The Academy will exhibit the selected artworks from the competition at Ram Katha Park. The winning artists will also be honoured with awards.
This apart, on the banks of the Saryu River, renowned sand artist Padma Shri Dr Sudarshan Patnaik and his seven fellow artists will organise a sand sculpture art camp centred around Lord Shri Ram and Ramcharitmanas with the aim of setting a world record.