Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh celebrated Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti with religious fervour and cultural programmes across all 75 districts on Monday. On the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, temples dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki and prominent sites associated with the Ramayana hosted lamp-lighting ceremonies, recitations, devotional songs and cultural performances.
Special programmes were organised in Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Meerut and Aligarh, highlighting the literary and spiritual legacy of the revered sage and the values of social harmony, compassion and righteousness reflected in the Ramayana.
In Ayodhya, rituals and worship were conducted at the Shrimad Valmiki Ramayana Bhawan, followed by a Sundarkand recitation attended by saints and students. At Lalapur, Maharishi Valmiki’s penance site in Chitrakoot, the celebrations featured Ramayana recitations, devotional music and performances by local artists. Recitation programmes were also held at Rajapur, the birthplace of Goswami Tulsidas.
In Meerut, District Magistrate Dr VK Singh and Chief Development Officer Nupur Goyal inaugurated the Akhand Ramayana recital at the Rajban Valmiki Temple in the cantonment area. Aligarh witnessed a procession in which devotees participated to pay tribute to the sage.
A significant event took place in Lucknow, where a statue of Maharishi Valmiki was installed at Valmiki Vatika near the Gomti river, at Prerna Sthal. Mayor Sushma Kharkwal formally inaugurated the statue by unveiling it in the presence of community representatives and other dignitaries. The initiative was organised by the Maharishi Valmiki Prakatotsav and Shobhayatra Organising Committee.
Committee president Chaudhary Brijesh Pujari described the installation as a moment of pride for the Valmiki community. Participants also pledged to uphold the sage’s teachings and strengthen social unity.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said the Ramayana was not merely an epic but an invaluable legacy of Indian literature, culture and life values. He said the celebrations aimed to familiarise younger generations with this heritage while highlighting the religious and cultural significance of nearly 280 Ramayana-related sites across the state.
For effective coordination, committees were constituted at district, tehsil and block levels. The Culture Department worked with the Information and Public Relations Department and district tourism and culture councils to organise the events. The government also allocated ₹75 lakh, providing ₹1 lakh to each district for honorariums to participating artists.
Information about temples, venues and performers was uploaded to the Culture Department’s portal to facilitate coordination and event management.
Through the celebrations, the state sought to honour Maharishi Valmiki’s contribution to Indian literature and promote the Ramayana’s enduring messages of morality, dignity and social harmony.
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