Two Guinness records fall, Ayodhya glows with faith and 26 lakh diyas

Ayodhya (UP): Ayodhya witnessed a spectacle on Sunday evening as Deepotsav 2025 illuminated the holy city with 26,17,215 lamps, marking the ninth edition of the grand celebration. Devotees from across India and abroad filled the city with chants of "Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram." Devotees offered prayers along the banks of the Saryu river, while temples, lanes, and homes across Ayodhya glimmered, according to an official statement.

Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership, Uttar Pradesh set two new Guinness World Records: one for lighting 26,17,215 lamps across the city and another for 2,128 Vedacharyas, priests, and seekers performing Maa Saryu Aarti simultaneously. Both achievements were verified through drone counts and certified by representatives of the Guinness World Records.

Over 32,000 volunteers from Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University and local organisations made this feat possible. Responding to the chief minister's call, lamps were lit in homes, temples, monasteries, ashrams, and public squares across Ayodhya.

The evening culminated in a grand aarti at Ramkatha Park, where Adityanath, cabinet members, and saints worshipped Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lakshman, Bharata, Shatrughna, and Hanuman. As "Ram Aaye Awadh Ki Or Sajni" echoed in the background, flowers were showered from a helicopter, and the symbolic coronation of Lord Ram filled the air with devotion and pride.

As Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Goddess Sita descended from the Pushpak Viman (depicted via helicopter), the chief minister himself pulled the sacred chariot. "Ayodhya today truly reflects the spirit of Treta Yuga," devotees said, describing the scene as divine and unforgettable.

The celebrations also brought together saints, sages, and dignitaries who extended blessings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adityanath. Among the prominent attendees were Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Dr Ram Vilas Vedanti, Raghavacharya Maharaj, Kamal Nayan Das Maharaj, and Santoshacharya Maharaj (Satua Baba). Several state ministers and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Nyas officials, including Champat Rai and Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi, also participated in the ceremony, the statement added.

Since 2017, Adityanath has expanded Deepotsav from a modest 1.71 lakh lamps into a festival of global significance, now featuring over 26 lakh lamps.

The chief minister began and ended his address with praises to Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Maa Saryu, and Hanuman Ji Maharaj, saying Ayodhya's Deepotsav symbolises "faith, unity, and pride in Sanatan Dharma." Earlier in the day, 22 tableaux depicting episodes from the Ramayana and performances by artists from Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, along with over 2,000 Indian performers, captivated visitors. The streets were adorned with flowers and rangolis conveying messages of prosperity.

The night sky came alive with a drone show featuring 1,100 indigenous drones, recreating Lord Ram's divine form and scenes from the Ramayana, a visual treat that left devotees awe-struck.

Later, the chief minister visited the Ram Temple, offering prayers and performing the aarti inside the sanctum and at Ram Ki Paidi, accompanied by Champat Rai, Dr Anil Mishra, Sangh Pracharak Gopal Ji, and other dignitaries.