Deepotsav: Ayodhya Gears Up To Set New Guinness World Record For Diwali Diya Lighting

Ayodhya will celebrate Deepotsav on the eve of Diwali (November 11) with over 24 lakh diyas at 51 ghats, aiming to create a Guinness World Record. The Uttar Pradesh government has adorned the city with various flowers and decked it up with around 24 lakh earthen lamps.

Diverse attendees, including tribal individuals from Jharkhand's Pakur district, and high commissioners and ambassadors from over 50 countries will witness this grand Deepotsav.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will reach Ayodhya at 2:00 pm and inaugurate the festival at Ram Ki Paidi at 7:30 pm. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak will also attend. The tableau of Lord Ram will reach Ram Katha Park around 2:30 pm.

At 6:30 pm, CM Yogi Adityanath will conduct the Saryu Aarti, followed by the inauguration of the Festival of Lights at Ram Ki Paidi at 7:30 pm.

In a significant gesture, 48 tribal individuals from Jharkhand's Pakur district, residing in mountainous regions, have arrived in Ayodhya barefooted to partake in the grand Deepotsav. The Jharkhand Pradesh Shri Ram Janaki Charitable Service Trust has facilitated their participation in the Deep Utsav at Ayodhya city.

On November 12, they will join Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in lighting the lamp in their traditional attire, marking their first visit to Ayodhya. Previously, individuals from the Santhali community had come to witness Diwali in Ayodhya.

For those eager to contribute, the option to light a 'diya' in Deepotsav is available through an online portal. By paying as low as Rs 51 for a diya to Rs 1,100 for 51 diyas, participants can illuminate their chosen place virtually. The dedicated portal, named e-Deepotsav, facilitates participation from afar and offers live feeds of the events in Ayodhya.

Aiming for a world record, the Yogi Adityanath government plans to illuminate 21 lakh earthen diyas on November 11, surpassing last year's record of 15.76 lakh diyas. Volunteers, around 25,000, predominantly students from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, will be deployed to achieve this feat. A 4.5-foot-wide block will accommodate 256 diyas in a 16 by 16 formation. Volunteers will commence preparations on Thursday noon, with the local municipal corporation assisting in ghats' cleaning before the diya arrangement.

To engage devotees, a space within the grid will be designated for movement, and volunteers will be responsible for providing cotton wick and oil on the final day.