Ayodhya to light 24 lakh 'diyas' at Ram ki Pairi on Diwali eve

Ayodhya (UP), Oct 16 (PTI) Preparations have started in Ayodhya for Deepotsav, during which 24 lakh 'diyas' (earthen lamps) will be lit on Ram ki Pairi and a light-and-sound show organised on the eve of Diwali, officials said on Monday.

"On November 11, 24 lakh lamps will be lit on Ram Ki Pairi at the banks of the Saryu river. On this Deepotsav, Ayodhya will witness a grand light-and-sound show to be staged on daily basis from November 11 at Ram ki Pairi. There will be two shows every day according to the programme proposed by the Tourism Department," Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar told PTI.

The contract for the light-and-sound show has been given to a government agency, Uttar Pradesh Project Corporation Limited, he said.

It is being set up at Ram Ki Pairi at a cost of about Rs 20 crore, he said, adding movies based on the Ramayana will be exhibited as part of the show.

"This programme will be held for two hours in the evening and will be free for all," he said.

The Deepotsav tradition in Ayodhya began with the formation of the Yogi Adityanath government in 2017.

Beginning with 51,000 diyas in 2017, the number went up to 4.10 lakh in 2019, over 6 lakh in 2020 and more than 9 lakh in 2021, setting a Guinness World Record.

In 2022, more than 17 lakh diyas were lit across ghats of Ram ki Pairi, but the Guinness Book of World Records only took those diyas into consideration which remained lit for five minutes or more and the record was 15.76 lakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief guest at the last Deepotsav in October.

This year's event will be special as the construction work of Ram temple is in full swing in Ayodhya. PTI COR ABN SMN