Tech, tradition come together for dazzling Deepotsav in Ayodhya tonight
The eighth edition of the festival will feature two record attempts - a 1,100-person Saryu Aarti and the main lamp-lighting event wherein 30,000 volunteers spread across 55 ghats will light earthen lamps for the Guinness World Record by lighting 25 lakh diyas
AYODHYA/LUCKNOW Ayodhya is set to be dazzled by the extravaganza of traditional earthen diyas and the technological marvel of drones on Wednesday that will mark the first Deepotsav celebrations here after the grand opening of the Ram temple in Ayodhya earlier this year.
Deepotsav, a five-day festival, commemorates Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya after a 14-year exile. The event showcases Ayodhya’s cultural and spiritual significance, attracting millions of devotees and tourists.
The eighth edition of the festival will feature two record attempts - a 1,100-person Saryu Aarti and the main lamp-lighting event wherein 30,000 volunteers spread across 55 ghats will light earthen lamps for the Guinness World Record by lighting 25 lakh diyas. The final results are expected after the lighting. A 30-member team from the Guinness Book of World Records is in Ayodhya to oversee preparations for Deepotsav. Last year, lamps were lit on 51 ghats in Ayodhya.
Guinness World Records official Nischal Barot said: “The biggest challenge for us is to complete the counting. Teams are on-site counting the diyas. Our entire system relies on a symmetrical arrangement.”
“The second challenge is the large area we have this time. For now, we are counting dry diyas, and we will count again once they are lit. We will also have a digital count. Our team consists of 30 members and 300 people involved in the counting,” he added.
In stark contrast, just adjacent Ram ki Paidi on the old Ayodhya bridge, a mega show of 500 drones will illuminate Ayodhya’s skyline making various formations. The highlight will be ‘veer mudra’ of Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Hanuman, brought to life through a dazzling presentation of laser lights, voiceovers, and musical narration.
Every nook and corner of Ayodhya is decked up to welcome people reaching here to be a part of the celebrations. The majestic Ram Ki Paidi ghat is beautified for the mega show where chief minister Yogi Adityanath will light the first earthen lamp.
Around 11 gates on various themes of Ramayan have come up at Ayodhya Dham, including three within Ram Katha Park. The Bhakti Path leading to Ram temple has four gates decorated with around 10 quintals of flowers. The celebrations will also feature dynamic colour-changing LED panels and multimedia projections at various locations.
National broadcaster Doordarshan and several social media platforms will live telecast the event. LED walls and vans have come up for live-streaming of the event while a dedicated centre has been established for media coverage.
Eighteen large mechanised tableaux, including the iconic ‘Ram Rath’, will be a major attraction. The procession will start from Saket PG College around 9am and end at the Ram Katha Park.
These tableaux, depicting various episodes from the life of Lord Ram, will be inspired by famous festivals from Oruro (Bolivia), Basel (Switzerland), Salvador (Brazil), Barranquilla (Colombia), Düsseldorf (Germany).
The entire Ayodhya Dham (old Ayodhya town), including all major temples, gas been decorated while eye-catching signage boards have come up at over 500 sites in the city.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will perform ‘Raj Tilak’ of characters performing the role of Ram and Sita at Ram Katha Park. He will also perform Saryu Aarti, along with 1,100 batuks and 157 seers. The 15-minute aarti is set to offer a profound spiritual experience. Union minister for culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will be the chief guest on the occasion.
ABOUT THE COUNTING PROCESS
*A 30-member team from the Guinness Book of World Records has arrived in Ayodhya to oversee preparations for Deepotsav.
*The counting methodology has been developed using specialized software designed to ensure accuracy.
*Nischal Barot, the chief of the Guinness team, explained that the most significant challenges include maintaining the correct dimensions for counting
*Each square area designated for the diyas must be precisely 16x16 feet. Any discrepancies, such as dimensions being larger, can complicate the counting process.
*The counting process involves a dry count of the diyas before they are filled with oil and lit. Volunteers work diligently to ensure that all diyas conform to the required measurements, as any mismatch could lead to errors in the final count. ANI
