Foreign guests, envoys to attend Dev Deepawali in Varanasi

A host of some 100 foreign guests, including ambassadors, high commissioners, and other officials, from 70 countries will watch the celestial Dev Deepawali on November 27. They will be given a warm welcome as they step into the city, a senior official of the district administration said.

S Rajalingam, district magistrate, Varanasi, confirmed it and added that the delegation will watch Ganga Arti on board a cruise ship.

Tight security arrangements will be in place at all the Ghats, and on other sides of the Ganga, said assistant commissioner of police, Dashashwamedh, Awadhesh Pandey.

Commissioner of police, Varanasi, Mutha Ashok Jain held a meeting with police officials and instructed them to stay alert and maintain a vigil on all Ghats.

The NDRF will deploy eight teams in the Ganga for the safety of the tourists and devotees, said NDRF inspector Jagdish Rana.

Preparations for Dev Deepawali are in the final phase and will be completed by Sunday, organisers said.

This year, Dev Deepawali celebrations include a laser show at Ganga Dwar of Baba Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Chet Singh Ghat, digital fireworks in addition to lighting Diyas on both sides of all 85 ghats of the Ganga in Varanasi. Almost 12 lakh Diyas, including 11 lakh earthen Diyas and 1 lakh Diyas made of cow dung, will be lit up.

Varanasi Smart City will do live streaming of the spectacular celebration of Dev Deepawali at six locations, including Assi, Dashashwamedh, Rajendra Prasad, Rajghat, Godaulia Multi Level Parking and Varanasi Cantt Railway Station, said Smart City general manager D Vasudevan. He said that high-resolution cameras have been installed on the Ghats. There will also be green fireworks on the sand across the Ganga.