By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 16 Jan: The Uttarakhand Government has announced daily programmes till 22 January devoted to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita to celebrate the consecration of Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya scheduled for 22 January. In this connection, it is learnt that the government is likely to rename the Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve Range of Corbett National Park after Goddess Sita.
This conservation range is considered to be the largest home of Bengal Tigers and elephants in the state.
There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Sita in this dense forest. Not only this, idols of Luv and Kush, twin sons of Lord Ram and Sita, are also seated in this temple.
There had been a demand of the local people in the area to rename Pawalgarh after Sita. The demand has come at a time when the entire country is witnessing a huge wave of devotion to Lord Ram in view of the consecration of the Ram Lalla Temple in Ayodhya. Sources in the government have confirmed that, in view of the public sentiments, the Dhami government will change the name of this conservation on 22 January. It is further learnt that this place may be renamed as Sitavani or Sitavan through a notification to be issued on 22 January. It is learnt that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued instructions to the Principal Secretary in this regard. The state government believes that this conservation reserve will not only be recognised for the elephants and Bengal tigers, but also by the presence of an ancient temple of Sita located here. Local people have great faith in the temple. Once this area is renamed, the tourists who will come here for jungle safari will also visit the temple. Pawalgarh was made a separate reserve under the Corbett Tiger Reserve in the year 2012. It has been created by combining some ranges of Ramnagar Terai and is home to a very large population of Asian Elephants and Royal Bengal Tigers besides being home to a large number of prey animals and a very wide range of flora and fauna.
