Lucknow/Ayodhya, Mar 21 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Friday offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple and the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, said if there was any great personality to write about on this Earth, it had to be Lord Ram.

The temple priests welcomed the chief minister by applying tilak and offering him a shawl at the Ram temple before he offered prayers amid chanting of Vedic hymns.

Later addressing a literature festival organised by author Yatindra Mishra at the Maharaja Palace in Ayodhya Dham, Adityanath said Lord Ram embodied the best form of human dignity, and it was "amazing" that the meet was being organised on the holy land of Ayodhya.

"It is true that whoever wrote on Lord Ram went on to become great. Maharishi Narad told Maharishi Valmiki the same thing -- if there is any great man to write about on this Earth, it had to be Lord Ram. If you write about Lord Ram, your pen will be blessed," Adityanath said, according to an official statement.

Calling Ayodhya the base of Sanatan Dharma in India, Adityanath said, "It is the first 'Puri' (holy pilgrimage site) among the 'Sapta Puri'. It is the land that inspired Sanatan Dharma." In 2016-17, 2.34 lakh devotees visited Ayodhya, but today more than 16 crore people are coming here to visit Lord Ram's temple, which is a symbol of the increasing glory and grandeur of the holy city, Adityanath said.

Referring to the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas by Valmiki and Tulsidas, respectively, the chief minister said Ayodhya has always been the centre of literature and culture.

"Just as Maharishi Valmiki immortalised the Ram 'Katha' across the world, every creation related to Ayodhya also touches the hearts of the people even today. Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas are still read and appreciated in every corner of the country and the world," Adityanath said.

Refrerring to the Ram Mandir movement, the chief minister said Ayodhya should get the respect it is entitled to for centuries.

When a plan was made to celebrate Deepotsav in Ayodhya in 2017, some people questioned the move but today millions of devotees participate in the festival, Adityanath said.

Calling literature the mirror of the society, Adityanath said, "It not only preserves culture but also provides right direction to the society. The tradition of reading and writing is getting disrupted in today's digital age, and events like literary meets will prove helpful in reviving the habits." Giving an anecdote, the chief minister said, "I once got an opportunity to visit Europe. I took a taxi there and asked the cab driver where he was from. He said he was from Punjab. When I asked where in Punjab, he said a little hesitantly that he was from Pakistan's Punjab province." "When I asked why he called himself an Indian, he replied that he felt safe in saying so. If we say Pakistani, who knows what might happen, the cab driver told me," he said.

"This is the situation today. While there is a feeling of respect for India, the world has an equal amount of hatred towards those who propagate the feeling of terrorism," he added. Praising Narendra Modi, Adityanath said the prime minister revived the traditions of India by combining heritage and development.

State minister and in-charge Ayodhya Surya Pratap Shahi, Padma Shri awardee singer Malini Awasthi, along with other prominent personalities attended the event.

Adityanath distributed interest-free loans of Rs 47 crore to 1,148 young entrepreneurs of Ayodhya division under the Chief Minister 'Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan' (CM Yuva), an official statement issued here read.

He also handed out tool-kits to the beneficiaries of One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, so that they can hone their skills.

Discussing the changing form of Ayodhya, Yogi said that in 2016-17, 2.34 to 2.50 lakh devotees used to visit throughout the year, but in 2024, more than 16 crore devotees reached Ayodhya.

"Now 2.5 lakh people are coming for darshan every day and more than 66 crore devotees participated in the Maha Kumbh," he said.

He further said that during this period pilgrimages like Vindhyavasini Dham, Kashi, Gorakhpur, Chitrakoot and Naimisharanya were full of pilgrims. These events have linked faith with livelihood.

New employment was also generated for thousands of people, Yogi said, adding that faith and culture can become a festival of employment. Culture can also become the basis of prosperity, he said.

"We have seen this vision of Prime Minister Modi on the ground level today," he said, and added that the youth of UP used to hide their identity earlier, today they are setting up their own enterprises.

Expressing pride in the economic progress of Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said that in the last eight years, the economy of the state has increased from Rs 12.75 lakh crore to Rs 27.51 lakh crore, which is more than double the increase.

Thousands of devotees now come from all over the country and are standing in long queues for darshan in Ayodhya, Yogi said.

"Naturally, they are our guest. It is our responsibility to serve the guest, to protect them, to provide them facilities," he said.

On Thursday, Adityanath visited Balrampur where he reviewed the preparations for the upcoming Chaitra Navratri fair, an official statement said.

On Friday morning, the chief minister offered prayers at the Maa Pateshwari Devi Shaktipeeth in Tulsipur, it said. PTI CDN OZ OZ