Lata Mangeshkar Chowk: How a Tourist Hotspot in Ayodhya is Drawing 'Picture-Perfect' Selfie-Seekers

AYODHYA: An iconic roundabout – named after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar –  located in the holy city of Ayodhya has turned into a major hotspot for 'picture-perfect- selfie-seekers, with tourists from across the country flocking the place in large numbers.

An ornate veena sculpture (weighing about 14 tonnes), sitting at the center of the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk is a major attraction for local residents and foreign tourists alike.

Situated at the intersection of Ram Path and Dharm Path, the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk is a perfect place to catch the glimpse of both the routes that have been decked up with ornamental lamp posts ahead of the Ram Mandir Inauguration ceremony, scheduled to take place later this month.

On New Year's Eve, hundreds of residents from the temple town and the neighbouring districts had thronged the chowk to ring in the New Year, with selfie-seekers circling the public landmark hoping to find the perfect angle for their selfies, and(or) getting clicked besides the state-of-the-art sculpture.

According to news agency PTI, several locals have attributed this unexpected rise in popularity of this public spot to PM Modi's recent roadshow held in Ayodhya, during which he had made a pit-stop at the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, and had gotten clicked himself by a pool of photographers.

Noteworthily, it's the same place where Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also taken a selfie – just a day before the PM's visit to the city –  creating a lot of buzz among local residents, and on social media.

As soon as the clock struck 12 on the night of December 31, multiple youngsters circled the roundabout's periphery, while several others live-streamed the New Year revelry on their Instagram handles and other social media platforms, PTI reported

Chants of "Jai Shri Ram" filled the air as the gigantic sculpture came to life with all the bright lights, standing tall at 40 feet, within a circular fence made of sandstone, which was adorned by one and all.

Local residents Akhilesh Pandey and his wife Sadhna were among the several revellers at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk who took a plethora of selfies to create memories as they rang in the New Year with great pomp and fervour.

"We used to go to Lucknow or stay at home on New Year's Day. But, now our city has developed and there are spots like this (Chowk), so people from nearby cities and towns are also coming here to mark the occasion," Akhilesh told news agency PTI. Sadhna, on the other hand, reportedly said “the beauty of the landmark – especially the veena sculpture –  was a treat to the eyes”.

The chowk, which was inaugurated by PM Modi virtually in September 2022, was constructed by the Uttar Pradesh government to honour the late melody queen  Lata Mangeshkar on her 93rd birth anniversary.

According to reports, the roundabout has been developed at an estimated cost of Rs 7.9 crore, and the popular sculpture has been carved by noted artist Ram Sutar.