Deepotsav 2020: CM Yogi to be in Ayodhya for celebrations, guidelines issued for festive days

New Delhi: After BJP came to power, Ayodhya has been hosting grand ‘Deepotsav’ celebrations and this year is going to be even grander. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is set to visit Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations, pay obeisance to Ram Lalla at Ram Janmabhoomi and light earthen lamps at Ram Ki Paidi.

In wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Uttar Pradesh govt has already issued instructions for elaborate celebrations in Ayodhya for the occasion. The Chief Minister has asked officials to make preparations for grand Diwali festival in strict compliance with Coronavirus guidelines.

“No outsider will be allowed in Ayodhya this year on Deepotsav, Kartik Purnima and other festive occasions. All these events will be restricted to locals only,” said MP Agarwal, Ayodhya’s divisional commissioner.

Bid to create world record by lighting 5.52 lakh earthen lamps

The grand ‘Deepotsav’ will be organised from November 12-16 by Tourism Department. This will be the fourth consecutive Deepotsav in Ayodhya.

This year, outsiders will not be allowed for Deepotsav and people would be encouraged to light a diya virtually at Ram Ki Paidi from their homes.

The state administration will strive to set another Guinness World record on November 13 by lighting 551,000 diyas on 28 ghats of the Saryu.

Last year, Ayodhya administration created a world record by lighting 410,000 earthen lamps.

Ayodhya Deepotsav, the brainchild of UP CM Yogi Adityanath, began its first edition in 2017 and saw the residents and volunteers, devotees coming together and lighting up a record 1.76 lakh earthen lamps.