Ayodhya (UP): The Yogi Adityanath government is all set to hold its eighth Deepotsav in Ayodhya this year, with grand and “eco-conscious” preparations underway for the first Diwali at the newly-built Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
The Uttar Pradesh government said it aims to set a new world record by lighting 28 lakh diyas along the banks of the Saryu river this Diwali, while the Ram temple will be illuminated with special eco-friendly diyas. These diyas are designed to protect the temple structure from stains and soot and will burn for a long time.
Environmental protection is also a major focus at this Deepotsav, the government said in a statement.
Special wax diyas will be used to reduce carbon emissions and protect the temple from damage caused by soot, it said.
The Ram Mandir complex, adorned with special floral decorations, has been divided into various sections for decoration, with each section assigned specific responsibilities, the statement said. The supervision of lighting, decoration of the entrance gate and thorough cleaning has been assigned to retired Bihar cadre IG Ashu Shukla. The temple trust aims to make Ayodhya not only a centre of religion and faith this Diwali, but also a symbol of cleanliness and environmental consciousness, the release said. To make the grandeur of Deepotsav leave a lasting impression, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has decided to keep the temple open for ‘Bhawan Darshan’ till midnight from October 29 to November 1. Visitors can view the temple from Gate No. 4B (baggage scanner point) and see its grand decorations. This festival of lights will give the message of faith, environmental protection and beauty, making Ayodhya’s Deepawali a truly global spectacle, the statement said. Meanwhile, as preparations for Deepotsav 2024 are nearing completion, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University Vice Chancellor Professor Pratibha Goyal has put together a huge team for the event.
It said that more than 30,000 volunteers are decorating 55 ghats along the Saryu river with 28 lakh diyas under the guidance of over 2,000 supervisors, coordinators, ghat in-charges and other members.
Sant Sharan Mishra, nodal officer for the Deepotsav celebrations, said 30,000 volunteers from 14 colleges, 37 inter colleges and 40 NGOs are involved in the preparations.
A magnificent swastika symbol is being created with 80,000 diyas at Ghat No. 10 of Ram Ki Paidi, which will be attended by over 150 dedicated volunteers. This grand display will be the highlight of the celebrations, the release said.
To create a world record, volunteers from the university and other institutions joined the work on the second day at Ram Ki Paidi, chanting “Jai Shri Ram”. Wearing T-shirts, ID cards and caps with QR codes, they have decorated diyas in a 16 x16 grid, each containing 256 diyas. A new world record will be created by lighting 28 lakh diyas in the evening on Chhoti Diwali on October 30. Ghat in-charges and coordinators are regularly guiding the volunteers, who take out diyas from cardboard boxes and decorate them carefully on the ghats. Clean drinking water has been arranged at the ghats to assist the volunteers. Apart from this, food is also being provided at the Bhajan Sandhya venue. Dinesh Kumar Maurya, Deputy Registrar of the University, has deployed a large team to ensure cleanliness of the ghats in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation. Each diya will be filled with 30 ml of mustard oil, which will be carefully monitored during the process. The release said that the arrangement of diyas will be completed by October 28, followed by counting on October 29. On January 22, the idol of Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple, a historic event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also called for going beyond the construction of a grand temple to laying the foundation of a “strong, capable and divine” India.
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