UP govt to light 12 lakh lamps in Ayodhya for Diwali

The Uttar Pradesh government will here light 12 lakh earthen lamps, nine lakh of which will be lit on the banks of the Saryu, bettering the previous Diwali record.

Last year, over six lakh earthen lamps were lit during the "Deepotsav" to celebrate the festival, creating a world record.

According to government statement, the staging of Ram Lilas, a 3D holographic display, laser show and fireworks will be part of the five-day-long celebrations, beginning Monday.

Nine lakh lamps will be lit on the banks of the river with the rest three lakh in parts of the town on November 3 from 6 pm to 6.30 pm, it said.

A cultural group from Sri Lanka has been invited to stage the Ram Lila while a series of literary and cultural activities will be held from November 1 to 5.

On Monday, the Ram Lila will be staged by a team from Nepal's Janakpur while teams from Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal will also be stage it during the five-day-long celebrations.

District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said on the November 3, the day of the "Deepotsav", Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandi Ben Patel will receive symbolically the Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita from a "pushpak viman", a chopper, at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya.

The CM will also perform the "Saryu aarti".