Maharishi Valmiki International Airport

Source- This post is based on the article “PM inaugurates Maharishi Valmiki International Airport at Ayodhya Dham” Published in “PIB” on 30th December 2023.

Why in the News?

Recently the Prime Minister inaugurated the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

What are the Key features of the airport?

1) The airport is dedicated and named after Maharishi Valmiki, a revered sage credited as the author of the oldest version of the Ramayana.

2) The interiors of the terminal Building are decorated with local art, paintings & murals depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram.

3) The terminal building of Ayodhya Airport is also equipped with various sustainability features like an insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains,

4) It also includes a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant, solar power plant to meet the five-star GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) ratings.

Who is Maharishi Valmiki?

1) Valmiki is referred to as Adi Kavi, which translates to the “first/original poet” in Sanskrit.

2) He is credited with composing the Ramayana, one of the earliest and most revered epic poems in the Sanskrit literary tradition.

3) Valmiki’s Ramayana is composed of 24,000 verses and is divided into 7 kandas (books), each telling a different part of Lord Ram’s story. Valmiki himself makes an appearance in the Bala and Uttara Kandas.

4) Valmiki Jayanti, also known as Pargat Diwas, is celebrated annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maharishi Valmiki. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October).

UPSC Syllabus- Art and Culture/ Infrastructure (Indian economy)