The holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh is fully decked out to celebrate its tenth annual Deepotsav on an unprecedented scale. Authorities and organizers are aiming to etch a historic milestone along the banks of the Saryu river, where a massive contingent of 35,000 volunteers has meticulously arranged between 30 and 33 lakh traditional earthen lamps across 56 ghats. Ahead of the grand illumination ceremony scheduled for Saturday, a comprehensive final dress rehearsal was slated for Friday at Ram Ki Paidi and adjoining riverfronts to verify every operational detail, from lamp spacing to oil replenishment.
Expanding The Scale Across 56 Riverfront Ghats
This edition of the festival carries notable political significance as it marks the final Diwali celebration in Uttar Pradesh before the state heads into assembly elections next year. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently penned a formal open letter addressed to the public, in which he highlighted the core spiritual message of Deepotsav and celebrated the broader cultural revival of the historic city. To handle an undertaking of this magnitude, volunteers divided into structured squads across the 56 ghats, laying out geometric patterns with millions of clay lamps. The visual spectacle at Ram Ki Paidi serves as the primary focal point, drawing national attention as the entire riverbank prepares to glow in unison.
Year By Year Evolution Of Deepotsav Milestones
The scale of the celebrations has grown steadily over recent years, establishing successive benchmarks with each passing edition. Official figures illustrate this continuous progression: in 2021, the event saw 9.41 lakh lamps illuminated along the waterfront. That figure rose sharply in 2022 to 15.76 lakh diyas, followed by 22.23 lakh in 2023. The upward trajectory continued in 2024 with 25.12 lakh lamps, while the 2025 gathering reached 26.17 lakh. For the current 2026 celebration, setting the target between 30 lakh and 33 lakh diyas represents an effort to shatter all previous numbers and set an all time high for synchronized ceremonial illumination.
Spectacular 2,100 Drone Visual Show
Beyond the terrestrial glow of millions of wicks, the airspace above Ram Ki Paidi will host one of the largest synchronized aerial displays in the region. A total of 2,100 unmanned aerial vehicles have been programmed to present a dedicated visual narrative showcasing episodes from the Ramayana. The coordinated drone performance illustrates key moments from the ancient epic, transforming the night sky with luminous formations of sacred imagery. This aerial showcase has been designed as a headline centerpiece alongside the traditional cultural events, aimed at enriching the experience for visiting devotees and observers.
Multi Tier Security Architecture Across 20 Zones
To ensure incident free management amid massive footfalls, law enforcement authorities have instituted an extensive security grid across the temple town. Ayodhya has been demarcated into 20 administrative security zones and 53 operational sectors, each supervised by designated senior officials. Ground deployments include civil police units reinforced by personnel from the Provincial Armed Constabulary and the Central Reserve Police Force. Specialized bomb disposal squads and firefighting units have been placed on round the clock standby at critical intersections, transit corridors, and riverfront access routes to guarantee public safety throughout the festivities.
