Two Guinness World Records were set in lighting and devotional rituals during this year’s Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya. In an unprecedented event for the city’s annual Deepotsav, 1,121 people performed the aarti ritual together, and over 25 lakh (2.5 million) traditional oil lamps, or diyas, were lit along the riverbanks.
The historic Ram ki Paidi was one of 55 ghats where the record-breaking events were held. Drones were used to confirm the spectacular scope of the show and record the exact number of lamps along the Saryu river, a major landmark in Ayodhya. To verify the record attempts, Guinness adjudicator Pravin Patel and consultant Nischal Bharot traveled to Ayodhya. At the Deepotsav ceremony, Patel congratulated the city on this significant milestone and announced the accomplishments.
1,121 people attended the mass aarti event, which was organized in cooperation with the Saryu Aarti Samiti, Ayodhya’s district government, and UP Tourism. These comprised community members and volunteers, as well as instructors and students from Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University and nearby schools. In a different accomplishment, Ayodhya officially counted 25,12,585 diyas, which the Guinness team confirmed, setting the Guinness World Record for the largest oil lamp display. This exceeded the previous year’s record of 22,23,676 diyas, indicating the event’s growing scope.
Pravin Patel highlighted the dedication of the organizers and participants by expressing his satisfaction with the event’s verification of two world records. “You are the new holder of the Guinness World Records title with a total of 25,12,585, UP Tourism, the Government of UP, and Ayodhya’s administration,” he said. Patel explained the stringent requirements for the aarti record. With over a thousand people participating in the ritual collectively, Ayodhya far surpassed the minimum requirement of 250 participants and fulfilled all the requirements to obtain the record titles.
Since 2017, Ayodhya has celebrated Deepotsav every year, and its scope has grown significantly. After lighting 1.71 lakh diyas in its inaugural year, the festival has gone on to break records every year, this year surpassing 25 lakh and last year reaching 22.23 lakh. The UP government claims that the lighting of 25 lakh diyas this year represents the region’s increasing pride and prosperity. In honoring Ayodhya’s historical significance and the region’s continuous development, each diya symbolizes a shared spirit. Speaking about the Deepotsav, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized its unique significance as the first Diwali since the dedication of Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya. For the holy city, he hailed the occasion as a “divine and unforgettable moment.”
The prime minister hoped that people all throughout India would continue to find inspiration in Lord Ram’s teachings. Calling the Deepotsav a celebration of solidarity and common ideals, he expressed his hopes for a prosperous and satisfying year for everybody.
