Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will embark on a two-visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and will inaugurate phase 1 of the newly-constructed Kashi Vishwanath Dham constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores.
Taking to Twitter, Modi said that the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project will add to Kashi’s spiritual vibrancy.
‘Tomorrow, 13th December is a landmark day. At a special programme in Kashi, the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham project will be inaugurated. This will add to Kashi’s spiritual vibrancy. I would urge you all to join tomorrow’s programme,’ Modi tweeted on Sunday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while reviewing the preparation for the inauguration said that this ‘Dham’ will give a new, global identity to Varanasi.
‘Kashi Vishwanath temple will be presented as a new ‘Dham’ to the nation and world. It will be inaugurated by PM Modi tomorrow, whose vision and guidance have played a key role…This ‘Dham’ will give a new, global identity to Varanasi,’ said CM Yogi Adityanath.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), at around 1 pm on December 13, Modi will visit Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offer prayers, after which he will inaugurate Phase 1 of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
Speaking to ANI, Shrikant Mishra, a priest at the Kashi Vishwanath temple, said, “The city is filled with enthusiasm as the temple is ready to become ‘Vishwanath Dham’ after years. PM Modi is going to inaugurate the corridor on December 13.”
As per the PMO, it was the vision of the prime minister for a long time, to facilitate the pilgrims and devotees of ‘Baba Vishwanath’, who had to encounter congested streets and surroundings with poor upkeep, when they practiced the age-old custom of taking dip in the holy river, collecting Ganga jal and offering it at the temple.
‘To realise this vision, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham was conceptualised as a project to create an easily accessible pathway to connect Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple to the banks of the River Ganga.’
A total of 23 buildings will be inaugurated in the phase 1 of the project.
‘They will provide a variety of facilities to the pilgrims visiting Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, including Yatri Suvidha Kendras, Tourist Facilitation Centre, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, City Museum, Viewing Gallery, Food Court, among others.’
During the visit to Varanasi, the prime minister will also visit Kaal Bhairav Temple at around 12 noon and witness Ganga Aarti while on board a Ro-Ro Vessel at around 6 pm on December 13.
On December 14, at around 3.30 pm, Modi will attend the 98th-anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan at Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi.
During the two-day visit, the prime minister will also participate in a conclave of chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with deputy CMs from Bihar and Nagaland.
