Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan has decided to contribute his mite to the BJP’s return to Lord Rama. When the national leadership of the party is hankering after Ramar Sethu and the UPA government’s alleged challenge to the historicity of Ram, how can Chauhan be left behind?

And, so, on the even of the BJP national executive meet, he had directed the state archeological department to detect the “Rama path”— the route in the state through which Rama, Laxman and Sita are supposed to have passed while on their Vanvas. The logic is that any traveller from Ayodhya to the southmost tip of India is bound to pass through what is now Madhya Pradesh. “There is no way Lord Rama could have skirted MP on his sojourn from Ayodhya to Lanka,” said a senior Archaeology department official.

Acting on their political master’s directive, the Archeological department has already succeeded in finding the route that Rama  followed through the state. He is supposed to have passed through Ujjain and Indore. Hoardings showing the “Rama path” have came up in the city on Tuesday.

Superimposed on the map of the state are footprints along the route which Ram supposedly took, against the background of Ram’s picture.

The government now proposes to develop the “Rama path” as a “tourist attraction” for the religiously-minded. A detailed project report is being drawn up for te purpose.