Kashi gets ready to welcome PM Modi on Dec 13

Varanasi, Dec 6 (IANS) The newly constructed 'Kashi Vishwanath Corridor' of the famous and ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple will be inaugurated in Varanasi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 13.

On this occasion 'Deepotsav' will be celebrated all over the city of Varanasi. All the ghats of Varanasi as well as every house in the city will be lit up.

The district administration and the Uttar Pradesh government have made preparations for a grand celebration on the occasion of the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

After the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and a puja, 'prasad' will be distributed to every house in the holy city.

Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal told IANS that on this occasion, lamps will be lit in every house in Varanasi.

Each ghat will be illuminated with diyas and there will be a festive atmosphere in the city. After a special puja, a packet of 'prasad' and a religious booklet will be distributed to every house in Varanasi. This is the first time that Deepotsav, puja and prasad distribution will be held on such a large scale in Varanasi.

The administration has decided to plant trees of special reverence as per Hindu faith in and around the Kashi Vishwanath temple, such as Parijat, Rudraksh and Ashoka trees.

The golden 'shikhar' (dome) of the main temple, which had become stained due to the winter cold, heat, storms, etc, has been given a makeover. Agrawal said that the golden 'Kalash' (urn) has been completely cleaned with the help of a unique technology. Now the golden urn in the main temple appears to be completely new.

Only CNG engine boats will be used. Earlier, these boats were fuelled by diesel which caused pollution, but now the administration has decided to convert all boats in the city to CNG with the aim of making Kashi pollution-free.

Preparations are on to build a ropeway in Varanasi to reduce traffic jams on the roads. This ropeway will not only serve as a tourist attraction but will also be used as a mode of transport.

Deepak Agrawal informed that the ropeway system will greatly help establish a new transport system for the city of Varanasi for which tenders have been floated. It will take three months to learn about its technology, design and other technical aspects. The new transport system will be ready in the next 24 months.

The state government will bear the entire cost of converting the diesel-powered boats to CNG. The UP government has set up a CNG filling station at Khirkiya ghat. All boats will receive fuel from this CNG station.

As many as four special cruises have also been started for the pilgrims coming to Varanasi. Of these one is by the UP transport department in which nearly 200 people can travel at a time. Soon another cruise named 'Bhagirathi' will be ready to sail on the Ganga river in Kashi from next week.