Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced massive defeats and was ousted from power in three states, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday attended the symbolic wedding of Lord Rama with Sita and offered prayers at the famous Janaki temple in Nepal's historic Janakpur city.
Adityanath, who arrived in Janakpur as head of the Indian delegation to participate in Vivah Panchami celebrations, was welcomed by Chief Minister of Province 2 Mohammad Lalbabu Raut Gaddi at the airport.
This comes a day after the assembly election results in five state-Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh-were declared in which BJP lost in three, and couldn't manage to make inroads in two other states.
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Yogi had campaigned extensively in at least four of these states for his party raising a hard Hindutva pitch and even promising to rename towns, as he did in Telangana.
However, the election results have dampened the spirits of the BJP while analysts are pinning the blame on extensive Hindutva rhetoric of the BJP during the campaigning, for which Yogi was the poster boy of the party.
Adityanath went straight to Janaki temple from the airport. He offered prayers and circumambulated the temple.
Janakpur city was decorated with colourful lights, paper flags and banners. Flowers were showered from a helicopter while Adityanath was offering prayer at the temple.
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In the afternoon, he participated in Ram-Sita Swayamvar and wedding ceremony at famous Rangabhoomi in Barah Bigha ground.
The Swayamwar is enacted every year on Vivaha Panchami to commemorate Ram-Sita marriage.
The Vivah Panchami is celebrated in Janakpur every year to mark Ram-Sita marriage, which is a unique example of centuries-old strong ties between the people of Nepal and India.
Nepalese Minister for Tourism and Culture Ravindra Adhikari and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri were also present on the occasion.
Adityanath also met with senior leaders from federal government and Province 2 before returning home after concluding his day-long visit.
In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Janakpur where he inaugurated a bus service between Ayodhya and Jankpur and announced Rs 100 crore aid to the Province No 2.
PTI
