“जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी।”
“The mother and motherland are greater than heaven.”
This important saying touches the hearts of the people of Ayodhya, reminding them of the strong connection they have with their hometown and the Lord Ram. This year’s Diwali is special for Ayodhya because it is the first celebration after the grand inauguration of the Ram Mandir.
The Yogi Adityanath government is getting ready for its eighth Deepotsav celebration in Ayodhya this year. The Uttar Pradesh government wants to set a world record by lighting between 2.5 to 2.8 million lamps along the Saryu River. They will use special lamps that will light up the Ram temple without leaving stains or soot that could damage the structure. These lamps will also stay lit for a long time.
Most of the decoration work on the riverbanks, called ghats, is almost done. This year, 10,000 people will be allowed to join the celebrations. They are making a viewing area at Ram Ki Paidi for the guests, which will be ready before the event.
Last year, lamps were lit on 51 ghats, but this year, they plan to light them on 55 ghats.
The temple also wants Ayodhya to be not only a place of faith this Diwali, but also a symbol of cleanliness and care for the environment. To make the Deepotsav even more impressive, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra will keep the temple open for ‘Bhavan Darshan’ from October 29 to November 1 until midnight.
More than 30,000 volunteers are decorating the 55 ghats along the Saryu River with 2.8 million diyas. They are working under the guidance of over 2,000 supervisors and coordinators.
Sant Sharan Mishra, who is in charge of the Deepotsav celebrations, said that volunteers from 14 colleges, 37 inter-colleges, and 40 NGOs are helping with the preparations.
One exciting part of the celebration is a big Swastik symbol made with 80,000 diyas at ghat number 10 of Ram Ki Paidi, created by more than 150 dedicated volunteers. This will be a major highlight of the event.
The city is all set to celebrate Diwali, the people of Ayodhya are not just welcoming the festival, but also revival of the culture. After all, the King is coming home, this time, to his rightful home.
