This Diwali, Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya celebrated its first Deepostav since Ram Lalla was installed in the newly built Ram Mandir. The Deepostav event was first-of-its-kind that also set two Guinness World Records - most people performing 'aarti' simultaneously and the largest display of oil lamps. The two records were set on 55 ghats, including Ram ki Paidi, on the banks of the Saryu River with over 25 lakh earthen lamps (diyas) lit together and 1,121 'vedacharyas' (teachers of religious texts) performing 'aarti' simultaneously. The counting of diyas was done using drones.
Sharing an aerial video of the grand event on X (formerly Twitter), the Guinness World Record wrote, "New record: Largest display of oil lamps 2,512,585 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India #happydiwali."
"As well as the astonishing 2,512,585 lamps on display, a new record was set for the most people performing diya rotations," the organisation wrote in a separate post.
Watch the video below:
According to GWR, this is the seventh time Ayodhya has broken the record for the largest display of oil lamps, with the first being in November 2021. The event saw more than 30,000 volunteers-primarily college students-arrange the oil lamps. Attendees also helped place the lamps in rows, creating a captivating aerial display.
For the second record title - 'most people performing diya rotations simultaneously' - 1,211 people took part to complete the attempt. All participants had rehearsed the previous night and on the night of the attempt, QR codes were used for entry and stewards were present to brief the participants and make sure that they were synchronised with the main performer.
Once the attempt was verified by GWR, a certificate was presented to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the spectacle as "amazing, incomparable and unimaginable". "Many congratulations to the people of Ayodhya for the grand and divine Deepotsav! This Jyotiparva at the holy birthplace of Ram Lalla, illuminated by millions of diyas, is going to be emotional. This beam of light emanating from Ayodhya Dham will fill my family members across the country with new enthusiasm and new energy," the Prime Minister said in an online post.
The Deepotsav showcased the spiritual, traditional, and cultural essence of the holy city, with performances by artists from six countries - Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia - along with a Ram Leela presentation from Uttarakhand. Additionally, various artists from different states performed at the event.
