UP government has launched a project to provide luxury river cruise and houseboat services on the Saryu river

The UP government has started a scheme to offer luxurious river cruise and houseboat services on the Saryu River for the pilgrims and visitors visiting the temple town in anticipation of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya opening to the public early next year.

According to officials, the two-hour cruise, which will follow the same format as the one in Varanasi, will leave from Guptar Ghat and end at Naya Ghat after passing by Raj Ghat, Laxman Ghat, Ram Ghat, and Janki Ghat. This will give passengers a glimpse into the history of Ayodhya and the Ramayana as well as provide them with food, folk songs, and dances, among other amenities.

According to officials, it would include a brief history of India as well as a short tale about Lord Ram and other myths that are popular there.

Officials claim that work is being done to finish the project before the city's annual Deepotsava celebration so that it may be released when the temple building is finished by year's end.

Ayodhya Cruise Lines Ltd of the ALCHEMY Group, which has received approval from various heads including the Union Ministry of Waterways for the project, reportedly received land close to "Ram Ki Pauri" last week to develop a platform for the boarding and landing of the cruise. The company will soon begin working on the development of the boarding area, according to sources.

As per Rahul Sharma, Managing Director of ALCHEMY Group, the cruise will be named after ‘Pushpak Viman’, as mentioned in the Ramayana, and houseboats will be named as ‘Kanak Mahal’. The cruise will take four two-hour rounds daily — the first round providing breakfast, the second – lunch, the third – high tea, and the fourth – dinner.