Ayodhya held its eighth annual Deepotsav festival, where people came together to show unity and devotion. This year, on October 30, the festival set two Guinness World Records. The event took place along 55 riverfront steps on the Saryu River and attracted thousands of people to honour Lord Ram. The two records were for the highest number of people doing 'aarti' (a Hindu prayer) at the same time and for lighting the largest number of oil lamps. This made the Deepotsav festival especially memorable and historic.

At the celebration, more than 25 lakh (2.5 million) oil lamps, called 'diyas,' were lit along the riverfront steps, filling the city with a bright, beautiful glow. A total of 1,121'vedacharyas' (teachers of religious texts) performed the 'aarti' prayer together, making it one of the largest gatherings for a religious ritual. Counting all the lit diyas was a challenging task, so drones were used to make sure the count was accurate.

Prime Minister praises “Divine” display of unity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the festival’s grandeur and congratulated the people of Ayodhya for the achievement. In a post on X, he called the display “amazing, incomparable, and unimaginable” and added, “This Jyotiparva at the holy birthplace of Ram Lalla, illuminated by millions of diyas, will fill my family members across the country with new enthusiasm and energy.”

Pravin Patel, the official adjudicator from Guinness World Records, confirmed the achievement. "With a total of 1,121, you are the Guinness World Records title holder for most people performing diya rotations simultaneously. Congratulations!” he announced. For the largest oil lamp display, he stated, “With 25,12,585 diyas, U.P. Tourism, the Government of U.P., Ayodhya District Administration, and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University are the new record holders.”

Growing scale of despair and belief

The annual Deepotsav has been growing year by year since it began in 2017. Starting with 1.71 lakh diyas in its first year, the event has expanded significantly, reaching 22.23 lakh in 2023 before surpassing the 25 lakh mark this year. This continuous increase in scale reflects the dedication and spirit of the people of Ayodhya and the support of the Uttar Pradesh government in making the celebration one of the country’s most iconic festivals.