Chandigarh, January 1- While giving the New Year gift to the devotees visiting Mata Mantra Devi Temple, Haryana Chief Minister said that a ropeway from the temple to Adi Badri will be constructed for the convenience of the people visiting here.  With this, the mountainous region from Kalka to Kalesar of Shivalik Hills would be developed as a pilgrimage. These include Chhota Tirlokpur, Adi Badri, Lohgarh, Kapalmochan, Kalesar, etc, said Sh. Manohar Lal.

To execute this plan, the Public Works Department will also explore the possibility of constructing a 10-meter-wide road, said the Chief Minister while addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone of the memorial of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur to be constructed at Lohgarh, Yamunanagar today.

Besides this, the State Government also plans to introduce adventure sports activities such as trekking in the region. With these efforts of the government, on one hand, tourism will get a boost in the state, while on the other local people will also get employment opportunities, added Sh. Manohar Lal.

The Chief Minister said that the memorial will certainly revive the saga of bravery and sacrifice of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur in Lohgarh, the first capital of the 'Sikh Raj' established by him.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that Lohgarh would be developed as a 'Mini City'.  The area of Lohgarh, the capital of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, shares its boundaries with Haryana and Himachal.  Today the foundation stone has been laid for the boundary wall and other projects for the revival of an ancient fort here. The Chief Minister also called upon the people to work in the interest of the country, state, and society.

Narrating an incident of his life, Sh. Manohar Lal said that somewhere his descendants were also associated with Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and today his government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure his contribution to the development of this region. 

Baba Banda Singh Bahadur is not just a name, but a story of bravery, saint, and great commander, added the Chief Minister

Sharing the inspiring story of Baba Banda Bahadur, Sh. Manohar Lal said that the real name of Baba Banda Bahadur was Lachhman Dev. He lived in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. As a young man, he shot a doe and was shocked to watch the mother and her aborted fawn writhing in pain and dying. After this gloomy scene, he had a change of heart. This experience moved him so much that he completely changed his outlook on life. He left his home and became a recluse and started living in Nanded, Maharashtra, shared the Chief Minister. 

Sh. Manohar Lal further shared that when Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji met Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and asked him to resume his duties as a true warrior to fight for righteousness and justice as people in North India were being tortured by the Mughals.  After this Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, like a true commander, gave a tough fight to the Mughals, he added.

The Chief Minister said that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur formed his army with the youth of Khanda Sheri village of Sonipat district and later all over Haryana with this young brigade he made Lohgarh the first capital of the 'Sikh Raj'.

He said that there is a small memorial in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Chappar Chiri in Punjab, but we are fortunate that in Haryana we are giving a new look to the Lohgarh Fort. 

The Haryana government is making constant efforts to promote tourism and culture in the state.  In this series, in an area of 50-acre, Film City Center is being developed at Pinjore. Many Bollywood filmmakers have also shown interest in it, added Sh. Manohar Lal.

He said that the government has launched Sant Mahapurush Samman and Vichar Prachar Prasar Yojana to celebrate the anniversaries of great men and saints at the state level and to spread their teachings among the masses.

History of great men will be included in school curriculum- Kanwar Pal

Speaking on this occasion, Education Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal said that today it is a matter of happiness that the Chief Minister has laid the foundation of development works in Lohgarh. 

"If we do not know about the history of the great men who have made supreme sacrifices for the country and humanity, then we will not be able to have a thorough knowledge of our culture and values.  This is the reason that the history of all such great men will be included in the school curriculum", added Sh. Kanwar Pal.

He said that Baba Banda Singh Bahadur made the supreme sacrifice for saving humanity and religion, the story of only such great men inspires us to do something for society. 

The Chief Minister is making dedicated efforts to ensure that the stories of such great men should reach the masses. Developing Lohgarh as a religious site will not only give a major boost to tourism but will also become a place that everybody wishes to visit and get to know, said the Education Minister.

Chief Minister is making a dedicated efforts of bring Lohgarh on the map of the world

Earlier speaking on the occasion,  Baba Jatinder Pal Singh Sodhi, a descendant of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, said that the efforts made by the Chief Minister to start the journey of the development of Lohgarh and give it a new look are commendable. Thanking the Chief Minister, he said that Lohgarh's name will shine bright with the efforts taken by Sh. Manohar Lal for the construction of the memorial, martial arts school, tourism centre, etc. in Lohgarh.

He said that never before had any government or institution worked to develop Lohgarh, the first capital of the ‘Sikh Raj’ and put it on the world map.  For the first time Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal has done the work of revamping this historical place of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur's Memorial site in Lohgarh. This is a commendable step. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Trust was established by the Chief Minister to develop Lohgarh, under whose supervision all these works are being done, he added. 

MP, Sh. Sanjay Bhatia, MLA, Sh. Ghanshyam Das Arora, President, Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Sh. Bharat Bhushan Bharti, Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC), Baba Karamjit Singh, Vice President Gurmeet Singh Trilokewala, Estate Officer, HSVP, Panchkula, Sh. Gagandeep Singh, Deputy Chairman, Haryana Punjabi Sahitya Academy, Sh. Gurvinder Singh Dhamija, Members, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust, Deputy Commissioner, Sh. Rahul Hooda and other officers also remained present on this occasion.