A tableau procession of Lord Rama was taken out on Saturday in the presence of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Aditynath as Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya peaked. Over 5.50 lakh earthen lamps were also being lit in the temple town including on the banks of Saryu river.
Earlier today, artists from different states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Rajasthan gathered for several planned celebratory events.
Artists were also spotted dressed as Lord Ram, Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman.
“It feels great to be here. We get to meet a lot of people here. Artists from different states have come here,” said an artist quoted by the agency.
“On the occasion of the second Deepotsav, we created a record by lighting over 3 lakh earthen diyas. This is the third time that we are celebrating Deepotsav here and we will light 5.5 lakh earthen diyas,” said a local.
Residents of the area and tourists have flocked to the city in large numbers for the grand Deepotsav celebrations.
“We have come here from Nepanagar in Madhya Pradesh. We are honoured to be a part of Deepotsav. We are performing Bhagoria folk dance here,” said Mukesh Darbar, president of a Napanagar-based dance group.
The government is also launching schemes worth Rs 226 crore on the occasion.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Speaker of Republic of Fiji Veena Bhatnagar and other ministers of the state are attending the event.
Ram Leela from seven countries was one of the main attractions and around 2,500 children artistically reproduced Lord Rama’s life events, his bow and arrow, and pictures.
The whole program has been declared as “state fair” and the government is spending Rs 133 crore on the event, which it says, has become “an international” event.
The district administration is aiming to break the last year’s record of 300,100 earthen lamps lit on the banks of the Saryu river by lighting 550,000 earthen lamps across the pilgrim town.
Local seers have been roped in to help light the lamps at hundreds of temples located in the town’s narrow lanes.
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