Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate an intersection in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, named after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on the occasion of her 93rd birth anniversary today. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the event in person.
The intersection, named 'Lata Mangeshkar Chauraha', on the banks of the Saryu river has been built at a cost of Rs 7.9 crore, officials told PTI.
A 40-foot-long, 12-metre-high 'veena' weighing 14 tonnes, which has been created by Padma Shri awardee Ram Sutar over the course of two months, has also been installed at the intersection. A picture of Goddess Saraswati, believed to be the Goddess of music in Hinduism has been engraved on the veena.
The intersection will be a popular destination for tourists and music fans alike. It is the first time such a massive musical instrument has been installed in the country, PTI reported.
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Satyendra Singh, secretary of the Ayodhya Development Authority, which is in charge of the project, told PTI that Rs 7.9 crore was spent on developing the intersection, which is one of Ayodhya's most important projects.
Singh travelled to Mumbai on Saturday as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's special representative to extend an invitation to the late singer's sister Usha Mangeshkar and other family members for the inaugural ceremony.
Lata Mangeshkar passed away on February 6, 2022, at the age of 92. On January 8, the legendary singer was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia.
She began learning music at the age of five from her father, Deenanath Mangeshkar, who was active in the world of theatre. She was born on September 28, 1929, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. Following her father's death, the family relocated to Mumbai, where a young Mangeshkar began singing for Marathi films.
(With Inputs From PTI)