Ayodhya Deepotsav: The UP government is preparing to celebrate the fifth Deepotsav of its tenure at Ayodhya city this year. 9.50 Lakh lamps are set to be lit to celebrate Lord Ram's return this year, an attempt by the state government to break its own record.


To celebrate the anniversary of Lord Ram's return after exile, 32 Ghats of Ayodhya would be decorated with lamps An army of 12,000 volunteers is already working to decorate them. As per Ayodhya locals, it is a matter of great happiness and joy. 


Ghats to be lit up with lamps: 


More than 12,000 volunteers have been entrusted with the task of lighting lamps in a preset sequence on these ghats. Preparations to set up these lamps in the requested sequence are already underway. Oil would be poured into the diyas tomorrow after the cotton wicks are set up in these.


A number of volunteers working on this task are students from Awadh University. According to their teachers, about 36,000 liters of oil would be used to light up 9.50 Lakh lamps and the same amount of oil would again be used to replenish them. Oil pouring and wicking would be done tomorrow.  


Preparations for Deepotsav are almost complete: 


51,000 lamps would be simultaneously lit at the main ghat of Ram ki Paidi. Students from Awadh University of Fine Art would be depicting the incidents of Ram Darbar, Shabari and Kewat with the help of Paintings and Rangolis. On the day of Deepotsav, this painting would be decorated with lamps.


The main event of Deepotsav is scheduled to be held on Ram ki Paidi in presence of the Chief Minister and all of the state's ministers and government officers. Representatives of some countries are also expected to be a part of this program. All the preparations for Deepotsav are almost complete, including the podium where the idols of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and Lord Lakshman would be founded.


Special security arrangements have been made: 


In view of Deepotsav, special security arrangements have also been made in Ayodhya. Police personnel have been stationed all over the city and barricades have also been set up at main junctions of the city. Apart from this, the road leading from Naya Ghat to Ram's Paidi has also been closed. Barricading has been put on both sides of this road and no one is being allowed to use this path. Nobody is being permitted to use the old Saryu bridge.