UP to relive Mahabharata via tourist circuit

Varanasi, May 16 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to relive the Pandava-Kaurava age through a new 'Mahabharata' Tourist Circuit in western part of the state.

UP Tourism Minister Kokab Hamid told UNI that two months back a project report for the actualisation of the ambitious tourism initiative was presented to the Centre.

The tourist circuit will primarily come up in the Baghpat district.

''Five places Baghpat, Panipat, Sonipat, Moripat and Indraprastha are believed to have been inhabited by the Pandavas. The stay of the five brothers -- Yudhisthir, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev -- at the five places was presently being studied by experts at the Oxford, Cambridge and Jawahar Lal Nehru University,'' he added.

The exclusive tourist circuit will embody all prominent remains dating back to Mahabharata period, which have been excavated by the Archaelogical Survey of India.

''The tunnel the Pandavas dug to escape the Lakshagriha conspiracy hatched by their 100 cousins still exists. The 30-km long tunnel has been traced in Barnawa area of Baghpat district.

Besides, the search was on among the archaelogists to unearth the site in Barnawa only, where Krishna is believed to have issued sermons to Arjuna out of the sacred Gita,'' he added.

The minister further said ASI experts have also stumbled upon at least 10 skeletons of women in the Baraut area of Baghpat district, besides finding remains of weapons made out of copper and other artefacts.

Although the carbon dating of the vital remains was underway by the ASI experts, speculations were rife in the premier Archaelogical body that a prospect of the dicovery of an ancient city, perhaps dating back to the Mesopotamian Civilisational Age were very strong, he maintained.

The exploration of the remains of a huge graveyard in the area attaches weight to the claims of a senior ASI expert of the existence of an ancient city in the area.

''When the tele-serial by B R Chopra titled Mahabharata can draw huge viewer response, why can the actual remains of the period of Arjuna and Duryodhana not generate prodigious tourist response,'' Mr Hamid ASked.

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