Vantangiyas gear up for grand Diwali with CM

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is set to continue his annual tradition of celebrating Diwali with the marginalised Vantangiya community in the Vantangiya forest village, tikona number 3, Gorakhpur, on Thursday. This year marks his 15th consecutive Diwali celebration with the community, a tradition dating back to 2009.

The occasion holds special significance for the Vantangiyas this year, marking their first Diwali celebration with the CM since the establishment of the Ram Lalla idol in Ayodhya’s temple. Arriving in Gorakhpur on Thursday after his Ayodhya visit, CM Yogi will bring Diwali gifts worth ₹185 crore for various gram panchayats in the district, according to the CM’s office.

Yogi’s relationship with the Vantangiyas began in 2009, when he first joined them for Diwali as a member of parliament (MP). The engagement continued even after he assumed the CM role in 2017. This ongoing engagement has helped integrate 23 Vantangiya villages into the revenue village system, granting them access to essential government schemes.

During the celebrations, the CM Yogi will distribute sweets and crackers, light 11,000 earthen lamps at Bheem Sarovar, and honour martyrs with a ceremonial lamp at Gorakhnath temple’s cultural event.

The CM will also inaugurate Jal Nigam-funded drinking water projects for 42 villages and development projects for 32 gram panchayats worth ₹34 crore.

The Vantangiyas’ heritage dates back to British-era labour camps created to support forest cultivation following widespread deforestation for railway construction. Long isolated, their fortunes have transformed in recent years, and the community, who fondly call the CM “Maharaj ji,” eagerly anticipate his arrival.