Ayodhya’s tenth Deepotsav festival will culminate on November 7 with the lighting of more than 30 lakh earthen lamps along 56 ghats on the Saryu riverfront at Ram Ki Paidi. The event, part of a five‑day celebration that began on November 5, will also feature a 2,100‑drone show depicting scenes from the Ramayana, a floating stage performance, laser and projection‑mapping displays, and musical fireworks. The festival’s scale has grown markedly since its first edition in 2017, when 1.71 lakh diyas were lit. The 2025 edition set a Guinness World Record with 26.17 lakh diyas. This year’s projected 30 lakh lamps represent the largest display yet. About 35,000 college students from Ayodhya will help set up the lamps, while 2,147 participants—including public representatives, councillors and members of the public—will take part in the Saryu Maha Aarti. The ceremony will feature Vedic chanting and aarti along the riverfront. The drone display will use 2,100 indigenous drones, nearly twice the 1,100 employed in 2025, to choreograph scenes from the Ramayana across the night sky. A floating stage will dramatise Ram’s return to Ayodhya through dance, music and Hindi narration. The programme will also include an eight‑minute laser show, a 20‑minute projection‑mapping presentation, and musical fireworks. Visitors will be able to view five three‑dimensional scenes from the Ramayana via an augmented‑reality application available on Android and iOS. By scanning designated locations at Ram Ki Paidi, users can see the scenes superimposed on their surroundings and share the images. The digital outreach programme will also host nationwide reel‑making and painting competitions, targeting five crore participants. Ayodhya will feature 13 thematic gateways, 20 selfie points and installations along key routes. Displays between Lata Mangeshkar Chowk and Ram Ki Paidi will depict episodes from the Ramayana. A procession of 22 tableaux based on the seven kands of the epic will include Ram Rath, Ram Darbar and Pushpak Viman. Ramkatha Park will host sand art and other themed installations. Ramlila troupes from South Africa, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Laos and Thailand will perform during the festival, drawing on the languages, costumes, music and theatrical traditions of their respective countries. The cultural programme will feature around 2,500 artists across 12 stages—six small, four medium and two large—representing 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh and performers from other states. Performances will include Karnataka’s Dollu Kunitha, Rajasthan’s Ghoomar, Bihar’s Jhijhiya, Tharu traditions from Pilibhit and Vantangiya performances from Gorakhpur. Approximately 1,000 artist groups from different states are also expected to perform at venues across the city. Although November 7 is the main day, celebrations will continue until November 9. Additional public presentations are planned for November 8, and a separate drone show on November 9 will be organised exclusively for Ayodhya residents. Officials have also invited 34 Indian ambassadors posted abroad to participate in Deepotsav 2026. The festival has created work for rural pottery units. An order worth ₹12.8 lakh was placed for 1.60 lakh diyas with 25 women from Gyaspur in Ayodhya, Kajiyapur and Bhaghar Jheel in Barabanki. By October 2026, 197 potters had received electric pottery wheels to increase production capacity. Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs Amrit Abhijat said, “The idea is that the city that works well for its people is better equipped to welcome visitors. Tourism planning must also account for clean public spaces, safe movement, reliable services and the needs of residents.”
Article source: Indian Express | Image credit: Indian Express