AS INDIA began celebrating Diwali with traditional fervour, around nine lakh diyas (earthen lamps) lit up on the banks of Saryu river in Ayodhya as part of the Deepotsav celebration. The Guinness Book of World Records team was present at the event. Earlier in the day, additional Chief Secretary of uttar Pradesh, Navneet Sehgal informed that a total of 12 lakh lamps will be illuminated to celebrate Deepotsav. “Out of these, nine lakh lamps will be lit on Ram ki Paidi in Ayodhya. The remaining three lakh lamps will be lit in the rest of the city,” he stated. This time in the Deepotsav, apart from 45 help groups, students from 15 Universities and five colleges including students of Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University also participated as volunteers.

 

A total of 12,000 volunteers were there. These volunteers used 3,600 litres of mustard oil to light these lamps. Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy attended the event at Ramkatha Park as the chief guest. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and other officials also attended the event. Further, a 3D holographic projection mapping, a grand laser show based on Ramayana was organised by the tourism department at Ram ki Paidi in the evening. Fireworks and laser shows were organised from Naya Ghat in Ayodhya. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma flagged off the ‘Shobha Yatra’ . While speaking to ANI, Sharma said, “The State Government is taking all the measures to make Ayodhya famous all around the world. The laser shows will be held in the evening. UP Agriculture Minister is also here.”

 

“Ayodhya has changed a lot. ‘Ram Rajya’ has been regained in Ayodhya. Those who said that there is no existence of Ram, now they are visiting and praying to Ram in Ayodhya,” he added. Several security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of people. SIT commandos, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) force and Rapid Action Force jawans have been deployed to ensure security. Drones were used to keep an eye on the event. It is being ensured that there is no chaos at the site of the fair. The ‘Deepotsav’ celebrations in Ayodhya last year had set the Guinness World records for ‘the largest display of oil lamps’ after 5,84,572 earthen lamps were lit on the banks of river Saryu.