UP CM inaugurates Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya in honour of legendary singer

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya on Wednesday on the occasion of the 93rd birth anniversary of the late singer and Bharat Ratna awardee.

The intersection at the banks of the Saryu river has been developed at an estimated cost of ₹7.9 crore, according to officials. The legendry singer died at a Mumbai hospital on February 6 this year at the age of 92.

Union cultural minister, G Kishan Reddy, and state tourism and culture minister, Jaiveer Singh, were also present in the inauguration event.

Paying tributes to the iconic singer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet said, “Remembering Lata Didi on her birth anniversary. There is so much that I recall… the innumerable interactions in which she would shower so much affection. I am glad that today, a Chowk in Ayodhya will be named after her. It is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest Indian icons.”

Noida-based architect Ranjan Mohanti has designed the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. A 40-ft-long and 12-metre-high classical Indian instrument Veena, weighing 14 tonnes, has been installed at the intersection. The Veena has been designed by master sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, who designed the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, in Gujarat.

Initially, saints of Ayodhya had opposed renaming an Ayodya crossing in the name of Lata Mangeshkar. Instead, they wanted the famous Naya Ghat crossing to be renamed after Jagatguru Ramanandacharya.

However, saints agreed after chief minister assured them to rename other places and roads in Ayodhya in the name of famous seers.

(With PTI inputs)

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