Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 15 (HBTV): Calling Kashi 'unique,' Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on the occasion of Dev Deepawali on Friday, said the city has preserved its tradition and culture while transforming remarkably over the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
'In the last 10 years, we have witnessed a changing India, and the people of Kashi have been part of this transformation. Kashi has preserved its tradition and culture while emerging anew. Ten years ago, experts wouldn’t even recommend using the water of the Ganga here for bathing due to pollution,' CM Yogi said during an event marking Dev Deepawali in Varanasi.
He further highlighted the cleaning of the Ganga under the Namami Gange project, initiated by Prime Minister Modi.
'Under PM Modi's leadership, the river has been cleaned as part of the Namami Gange project. Today, its water is so clean that it can even be used for drinking,' he added.
The Chief Minister praised Kashi as a magnificent spiritual and religious centre.
'Our Kashi is unique across the three worlds. It is the sacred abode of Baba Vishwanath, with the uninterrupted flow of Mother Ganga and its holy pilgrimages presenting Kashi as a magnificent spiritual and religious hub for India and the world,' he said.
He also noted the improved infrastructure at Kashi Vishwanath Dham, which now accommodates large numbers of devotees.
'Five years ago, if 50 devotees arrived together, it was difficult for them to have darshan. Today, even if 50,000 devotees visit simultaneously, they can have darshan with ease. During the month of Sawan, this number reaches into the lakhs,' he remarked.
On the occasion of Dev Deepawali, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, CM Yogi, Governor Anandiben Patel, and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri lit earthen lamps at Varanasi's Namo Ghat.
Dev Deepawali, often referred to as 'the Diwali of the Gods,' is celebrated on the full moon night of Kartika. The festival transforms the ghats of the Ganges, from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat, into a spectacular display of over a million glowing earthen lamps.
(ANI)