Yogi Adityanath Government Plans To Rejuvenate Govardhan Parvat With Dwapar Yug Flora

In a move aimed at promoting tourism in Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government is planning to rejuvenate the Govardhan Parvat, a sacred Hindu site in Mathura, the Times of India has reported.

According to the report, the government's plan involves reviving Dwapar Yug flora along the hill’s 21-km perambulation path, for which the state has roped in the Indian Agriculture Research Institute. A team constituted by the government has been directed to find five varieties of trees: kadamb, karoli, tamal, pakkad and tilkan. These trees will be used to develop vegetation around the hill in a way that it resembles the description in the sacred texts.

The project will be monitored directly by the Chief Minister. Rs 226 crore have been sanctioned as the first instalment for the project, the report says.

The rejuvenation of religious sites is part of the state government’s larger scheme to revive tourist attractions across the state. For this purpose, the Chief Minister had, just two months after assuming office, formed the Brij Tirath Vikas Parishad (BTVP).

"In Hindu mythology, kadamb was the favourite tree of Lord Krishna, who used to play the flute and play with his friends under its shade. We've sent our research team to find this tree in Rajasthan's Karoli Dham," said BTVP CEO Nagendra Pratap.

The green cover around the hill has shrunk over the years. According to forest officials, the patchy vegetation is a result of the brackish water of the Yamuna in Mathura. To deal with this, water harvested in neighbouring Bharatpur district of Rajasthan will be used for irrigation around Govardhan Parvat.