Lucknow: UP govt has approved a Rs 2.03-crore project to develop the 356-year-old Kotwa Dham in Barabanki as a spiritual tourism destination, officials said.Located in Sirauli Gauspur tehsil, around an hour’s drive from Lucknow, Kotwa Dham is the principal seat of the Satnam Panth, founded by Samarth Saheb Baba Jagjivan Das.The shrine attracts thousands of devotees from UP and neighbouring states, particularly during the annual birth anniversary celebrations of the saint.The project will be executed under the Chief Minister Tourism Development Scheme and of the total sanctioned amount, Rs 1.50 crore has been released.According to the tourism department, the project aims to improve visitor amenities while preserving the site’s religious and historical character.Planned works include a pilgrims’ rest house, toilets, changing rooms, a grand entrance gateway, mural walls, decorative pillars, drinking water facilities, landscaped public spaces and paved walkways.Tourism and culture minister, Jaiveer Singh, said: “Kotwa Dham occupies an important place in the Satnam Panth tradition, whose teachings emphasise truth, equality, simplicity and social harmony. The project would help preserve the shrine’s heritage, improve facilities for pilgrims and create new opportunities for tourism-led economic activity in the region.”He said the project would further strengthen the State Capital Region’s network of spiritual destinations while supporting Uttar Pradesh’s broader strategy of promoting religious and cultural tourism.
