Idol of Goddess Annapurna Devi retrieved from Canada will be placed in Varanasi on Nov 15

The idol of Goddess Annapurna Devi has been retrieved from Canada to India, which will finally be placed in Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Varanasi on November 15, as per the official release by the Ministry of Culture.

As per the release, The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) received the idol on October 15 and it will now be taken from Delhi to Aligarh on November 11. From there it will be taken to Kanauj on November 12 and reach Ayodhya on November 14. Finally, it will reach Varanasi on November 15 where it will be placed at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh after the appropriate rituals.

Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy will also address the media on Wednesday at the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adithyanath on the efforts of Narendra Modi government to bring home the idols and antiquities from various foreign countries.

"Since 1976, 55 idols have been returned to India. 75 per cent of the idols that have been returned were done so during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Out of the 55 antiquities, 42 were returned after 2014 with the Annapurna Devi being the last addition to this," reads the official statement.

Reddy will also participate in the Ayodhya Deepotsav programme on Wednesday in which an attempt will be made to make a record by lighting 12 lakh diyas (earthen lamps) all over Ayodhya City. Around 9 lakh diyas will be lit at the Ram Ki Paidi ghat on the banks of river Saryu on Diwali and 3 lakhs in different places of the city, says the release.

( With inputs from ANI )