StatesUttar Pradesh
Over 30 lakh diyas light up Saryu banks as Ayodhya marks 10th Deepotsav
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed the aarti with Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan and Governor Anandiben Patel, as more than 2,100 priests and a 2,100-drone show marked the eve of Diwali.
Key points
- More than 30 lakh diyas were lit across 56 ghats on the Saryu for the 10th Deepotsav.
- Yogi Adityanath and Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan joined a Maha Aarti by over 2,100 priests.
- A 2,100-drone show told episodes of the Ramayana; the Chief Minister also hit out at the opposition.
Ayodhya lit more than 30 lakh earthen diyas along the Saryu on Saturday evening, the eve of Diwali, for the 10th edition of Deepotsav. The lamps covered 56 ghats, with Ram Ki Paidi at the centre.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed the aarti on the riverbank, with Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, the chief guest, and Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel beside him. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and a number of saints were also present. More than 2,100 priests joined the Saryu Maha Aarti.
The spectacle
A show of 2,100 drones drew episodes of the Ramayana in the sky over the river, including Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya. A laser show and 3D projection mapping were part of the evening. More than 35,000 student volunteers from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University and local colleges had arranged the lamps over several days, and a Guinness World Records team was reported to be monitoring the count with drones and cameras. Whether a new record is certified has not yet been announced.
Ramlila troupes from Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Laos and South Africa performed at Ram Katha Park. Ayodhya was split into three security zones, with more than 2,500 police personnel on duty and vehicles kept off Dharmpath and Rampath.
What the Chief Minister said
Addressing a gathering at Ram Katha Park, Adityanath turned to the opposition. Of those he said had opposed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, he said: “Let them apologise to the devotees of Lord Ram; let them apologise to the saints.” He also said an airport “could never be built in Ayodhya in the past”, and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with leading the Ram Lalla consecration. These are his claims; the opposition had not responded at the time of writing.
He also praised the Vice-President’s rise from a farming family in Tamil Nadu. Earlier in the day Adityanath toured an exhibition on Ayodhya’s 500-year history.
Past counts have risen each year: about 22 lakh diyas in 2023, 25 lakh in 2024 and 26 lakh in 2025. Diwali falls on Sunday.