File Photo: Union Minister Mahesh Sharma
The government today announced that it would construct a Ramayana museum at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which would portray the epic journey of Lord Rama, but sought to steer away from controversy saying it would be kept away from the disputed site there.
Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said the Centre has begun the process of identifying the land.
"We are not going to construct this site (museum) in the disputed site, but away from it. There is land available at 70 km. So, we will not touch the disputed area. Definitely, we will not come into controversy. We will keep away from the controversy," he told reporters in New Delhi.
The museum would be constructed as part of the Ramayana circuit, which the government had declared recently and contacting Nepal and Sri Lanka for the purpose.
"We are planning for Krishna circuit and Buddha circuit in Ayodhya. Similarly, we are also planning for Ramayana circuit. About Rs 120 crore has been earmarked for establishing the Ramayana circuit for which we are also contacting Nepal, Sri Lanka," he added.
Reiterating that the museum will not come up anywhere near the disputed land, Mr Sharma said, "Wherever the land will be easily available, either by the government or by the private properties or by any act of donation, we love to construct this museum there."
He, however, sought to clarify that construction of Ram temple and museum are two different things.
"The construction of Ram Mandir is a project of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Ram Janma Bhoomi Samiti. They are doing their job. But, as a tourism minister, I am doing this (museum) on behalf of my ministry in Ayodhya," he said.
The museum would be established under the museums grant scheme of the union ministry of tourism and archaeologists and historians have been approached for the purpose.
Asked whether the museum is for Lord Rama or the Indian mythological epic of Ramayan, Mr Sharma said, "Rama and Ramayana, both are same. It will be called as Ramayana Museum and it will a museum that will portray the journey and greatness of Lord Rama."