After around 40 years, the Prayagraj district administration will be publishing the district gazetteer with 11 chapters of information pertaining to history and development of the district.
A detailed questionnaire has been prepared to compile information to be carried in the 11 chapters of the gazetteer. The highlight of the latest gazetteer will be the inclusion of Kumbh Mela, the world famous religious congregation, which was never mentioned in the British Gazetteer.
Because of its importance the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised the Kumbh Mela as ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ for India and will be specially recorded in the new gazetteer. In the first chapter, the name of the district, formation, geographical location, extent and extension, population, regional languages and dialects of the district, details of religious communities, beliefs and practices of the district, festivals, fairs etc, administrative units of the district, water resources, forestry etc will find mention.
There will be details of the area, animals and water diversity. Along with this, the major products of the district, eminent personalities, freedom fighters, martyrs etc of the district, details of Lok Sabha-Rajya Sabha-Vidhan Sabha-Legislative Council seats of the district and Doordarshan-Akashvani centre and radio channels located in the district and other subjects will be included.
Chapter-wise nodal officers have been nominated for this. All nodal officers have been instructed to compile the relevant information and make it available soon.
To prepare its action plan, the officiating district magistrate and CDO Gaurav Kumar held the first meeting of the gazetteer committee during which, he explained in detail the contents of the gazetteer.