The people of the spiritual capital of India Varanasi have not only opened their arms to welcome guests coming for the three-day "Pravasi Bhartiya Divas" beginning January 21, but also opened their doors to offer the special hospitality of 'Kashi'.
Through "Kashi Ka Atithya" concept, under which locals have been urged to volunteer to provide accommodation to guests, visitors of Indian origin will get a chance to experience the life of residents of the historical city of Varanasi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is overseeing arrangements for the Pravasi Divas function, has said an elaborate preparations have been made in Varanasi to ensure a memorable stay of the visitors.
Besides hotels and the tent city, several families in Varanasi have expressed their desire to extend hospitality to the guests with the essence of "Atithi Devo Bhava" (Guest is like God).
Adityanath has said formalities to allow the families to host guests have been completed.
Sources in the Varanasi district administration said hundreds of families have been selected to provide accommodation facility, free of cost, to the guests who got themselves registered through the mobile application launched especially for it. These families of Kashi will also be providing food.
Though the authorities had said they will look after the transport facility, the residents have been enthusiastic in offering to pick the guests up from the airport, the sources said.
Visitors, who had got themselves registered online through the MEA website, were asked for their preference for stay and a large number of them have opted for personalised hospitality of 'Kashi-vasis', sources said.
The guests will get home-cooked food and homely ambience to relish it. Besides, they will also be able to witness the daily chores of a typical day in Banaras.
Pravasi Divas, this year, will be a unique experience with the event coinciding with Kumbh in Prayagraj, and Republic Day functions.
According to the External Affairs Ministry, 5,802 people have got themselves registered for the three-day Divas.
After Pravasi Divas, the guests will be taken for a visit to the Kumbh Mela on January 24 where a tent city has been set up with Swiss cottages. They will also be able to have darshans of Akshayvat, or the indestructible tree, after about 400 years.
A cultural village has been developed in Prayagraj, showing the history from the Indus Valley Civilisation. The pravasis will be taken to New Delhi on the night of January 24 and will have a "Delhi darshan" the next day.
They will also witness the Republic Day parade on January 26.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas on January 22 in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, while President Ram Nath Kovind will grace the concluding function on January 23.
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