Deepotsav at Ayodhya begins today; over nine lakh diyas to be lit to create new world record

For the last four years, Ayodhya has been celebrating the grand Deepotsav ahead of the much-awaited festival of lights - Diwali. This celebration is held to spread awareness about the rich culture and heritage of Ayodhya. This year, the Ayodhya administration is observing and celebrating the fifth edition of Deepotsav. It will be organised by the Uttar Pradesh government on a grand scale starting today, 1 November, and it will continue till 5 November. Deepotsav is conducted during Chhoti Diwali, when the whole city is lit up with earthen lamps (diyas) to mark the occasion. Currently, the temple town of Ayodhya has already been decked up and beautifully lit for the grand Deepotsav 2021 celebrations. The main Deepotsav celebration will begin today with online competitions. According to a News18 report, this year around nine lakh earthen lamps (diyas) will be lit in Ayodhya to create a new world record. Also, a team from the Guinness Book of World Records will be present to judge the event. Meanwhile, a senior state tourism department official informed that the district magistrates of all the 75 districts of the state will be assigned with the task of ensuring that the earthen lamps from each of the over 90,000 villages reach Ayodhya well in time. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced that nine lakh diyas (earthen lamps) would be lit on the occasion in Ayodhya. Among the nine lakh diyas, one each is for an estimated nine lakh beneficiaries of the prime minister’s and chief minister’s awas yojanas (housing schemes) in the urban areas of Uttar Pradesh. “While these nine lakh earthen lamps (diyas) would represent the housewarming ceremonies of as many people in urban Uttar Pradesh, the government would also light earthen lamps at the houses of 45 lakh people across the state who have got a house,” said Adityanath. The grand Deepotsav 2021 has become even more important for the state as it is bound for Assembly polls early next year. Also, Ayodhya is one of the significant cities for nearly all the political parties in the state. To mark the celebration today in Ayodhya, the MoS Independent Charge, Tourism and Culture, Neelkanth Tiwari will inaugurate Ram Shilp Bazar at the Ram Katha Museum.