To enhance the grandeur and divinity of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Shri Ram, the Yogi government is organising a variety of cultural programs at different locations in Ayodhya. This responsibility has been assigned to the Culture Department. The Lalit Kala Academy, operating under the Culture Department, has meticulously planned the schedule of various events.
The planned events include a wall painting workshop on the main walls of Ayodhya Dham, captivating sand art portraying Lord Rama along the banks of the Sarayu River, an exhibition showcasing Ram Bal Leela and diverse artworks, as well as programs featuring mehendi application and photography. These programs started on January 18 and are set to continue incessantly until and after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Wall painting being done at Airport, Collectorate and Ram Ki Paidi Marg
The director of the Uttar Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy, Dr. Shraddha Shukla shared that approximately 40 artists from various districts across the state is currently engaged in the creation of wall paintings. These paintings cover nearly 3,000 square feet on the CRPF wall near the Maharshi 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, at the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport, statues of Maharshi Valmiki, Lord Surya on Surya Kund, and Lord Ganesha statues made from Odisha sandstone on Ganesha Kund are being installed. Furthermore, starting from January 18, an exhibition of sculpture and painting, based on various episodes such as Lord Ram’s Bal Leela, Ram’s Gurukul Leela, Hanuman’s Leela, Tadaka Vadh, Sita’s Swayamvar, Ram-Jatayu Milan, and Hanuman-Sita Milan, is being organized. This exhibition, showcasing the artistry with paintings, will continue until January 26.
Furthermore, 40 paintings and 10 sculptures will be created by 50 artists from different districts of the state. Along with this, home studio workshops based on Lord Shri Ram and his life character will be organized in 10 districts of the state namely Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Jhansi, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Meerut, Bareilly and Lucknow. This workshop will take place between February 1 and February 29. An exhibition of the artifacts selected in the workshop will be organized in Ayodhya Dham.
The State Lalit Kala Academy, in collaboration with the Culture Department, is organizing a mehndi and other workshops for women and girls, supported by the Asia Delfic Council, where a thousand artists will participate.
Additionally, 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 begins on January 20 and concludes on January 23. The selected artworks from the competition will be exhibited at Ramkatha Park by the Academy. Furthermore, the winning artists will be honoured with awards.
Not only this but also on the banks of the Sarayu River in Naya Ghat, renowned sand artist Padma Shri Dr Sudarshan Patnaik, along with seven fellow artists, will organize a sand sculpture art camp based on Lord Shri Ram and Ramcharit, aiming to set a world record.
