Deepotsav: New world records with 26.17 lakh diyas, 2128 people performing aarti together

 

 

 

TWO new world records were set at this year’s Deepotsav in Ayodhya: 26.17 lakh diyas lit at the same place as 2,128 people performed ‘aarti’ together for the grand celebrations in the temple town, the Uttar Pradesh Government said. Representatives from the Guinness World Records made the announcement after verifying the count of the diyas using drones, a Government statement said. UP Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh and Principal Secretary Amrit Abhijat presented the Guinness certificate to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The first Guinness award was given for the largest display of oil lamps (26,17,215) achieved jointly by the UP Department of Tourism, the Ayodhya administration, and the Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University. Another award was given for the most number of people performing ‘aarti’ simultaneously.

 

The tourism department, the district administration and the Saryu Aarti Samiti in Ayodhya jointly achieved this feat, the statement said. The number of diyas has risen every year from 1.71 lakh in 2017, 3.01 lakh in 2018, 4.04 lakh in 2019, 6.06 lakh in 2020, 9.41 lakh in 2021, 15.76 lakh in 2022, 22.23 lakh in 2023, and 25.12 lakh in 2024, the Government said. Adityanath became the Chief Minister in 2017. “Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deepotsav has transcended from being a festival of light to a festival of pride and identity. The entire world today sees Ayodhya as the living embodiment of Ram Rajya, where faith, discipline, and development shine together,” the Tourism Minister said.

 

“Every diya lit here reflects the spirit of a Viksit Uttar Pradesh and a Viksit Bharat,” he added. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of the state on Deepotsav 2025, and said that the festival has played a pivotal role in shaping a renewed identity for UP on the global stage. “I extend my wishes to the people of the state on Deepotsav 2025. Through this program of Deepotsav, we have tried to create an identity for Uttar Pradesh. To ensure that the identity of the citizens of UP is not compromised and no one dares to play with their faith, after the formation of the double-engine Government in Uttar Pradesh, we have made continuous efforts,” the Chief Minister said. Taking a swipe at previous Governments, the CM accused past administrations of neglecting Ayodhya’s spiritual significance and of dishonouring the sentiments of Ram devotees. “Those who used to insult your faith.

 

Those who filled the streets of Ayodhya with the blood of Ram devotees and Kar Sevaks. Today, they don’t like the Deepotsav program in Ayodhya. Those who, while in power in the state, kept a distance from the Deepotsav, Rangotsav, and Dev Deepawali programs, but they used to spend the state’s treasury in the name of Saifai Mahotsav and the boundary of the graveyard,” CM Yogi said. Highlighting the scale and inclusivity of this year’s Deepotsav, the CM noted that over 26.71 lakh diyas were lit in Ayodhya Dham, crafted by local artisans from the Prajapati and Kumhar communities. , underscoring the Government’s commitment to empowering traditional potter communities. “Today, more than 26,71,000 lamps have been lit in Ayodhya Dham. These lamps were made as a result of the hard work of the people belonging to the Prajapati and Kumhar castes of Ayodhya itself. These people did not want these people to get a job,” he added. According to officials, over 10,000 volunteers from universities and colleges participated in the diya-lighting and rotational activity. The diyas were arranged in a precise pattern to ensure accurate counting and verification by Guinness World Records representatives. The Deepotsav, held under the leadership of CM Yogi Adityanath, is now a symbol of faith, unity, and devotion. It continues to reinforce Ayodhya’s identity as a global hub of spirituality and tourism.