NEW DELHI, Dec 1: The union ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has planned to launch a ”Ramayan Cruise Tour” on the Saryu river in Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Ram, in Uttar Pradesh soon. The concerned union minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a review meeting for the implementation of cruise service on Tuesday.
The first-ever luxury Cruise service on the Saryu river (Ghagra/National Waterways-40), the cruise would provide “mesmerizing experience to devotees with one-of-its-kind spiritual journeys while cruising through the famous “Ghats” of the holy river Saryu,” an official spokesman of the ministry said.
The fully air-conditioned 80-seater cruise will have large glass windows for experiencing the scenic beauty of Ghats and will be equipped with all luxury comfort and facilities along with all essential safety and security features at par with the global standard. The interiors of the cruise and the boarding point will be based on the theme of Ramcharitmanas. The cruise will be equipped with kitchen and pantry facilities for the comfort of the tourists. The cruise contains bio toilets and hybrid engines system for the ‘zero effect’ on environment, the spokesman said.
Tourists will be taken on the “Ramcharitmanas Tour” of 1-1.5 hour duration, featuring an exclusively made video film of 45-60 minutes based on Goswami Tulsidas’ “Ramcharitmanas” covering the period from the birth of Lord Ram to his Rajyabhishek. The entire tour will cover approximately 15-16 Km distance. There will be several activities and selfie points inspired by different episodes of Ramayan. The tour will be followed by Saryu Aarti, in which every member will be able to actively participate.
Approximately, two crore tourists visit Ayodhya every year and after the completion of the Ram Mandir, the tourist inflow to the holy town was expected to increase further, the spokesman said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
