By Savithri Rodrigo
Ayodhya has held record for six consecutive years
22,000 volunteers lit the lamps which stayed lit for 40 minutes
Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh (Commonwealth Union)_Diwali, the festival lights was a dazzling spectacle in the city of Ayodhya in Northern India, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, when 1.5 million clay oil lamps were lit by over 22,000 volunteers to break a Guinness World Record. The city broke its own record it set in 2021 by lighting 900,000 clay oil lamps, a record it has held for the last six year. It was in 2016 that the city of Haryana lit over 150,000 lamps to begin the trend of breaking world records.
Diwali is celebrated by Hindus the world over symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. It marks the ancient story of Lord Rama returning to his kingdom after spending fourteen years in exile.
Ayodhya, which is located on the banks of the holy river Saryu in Uttar Pradesh, saw the festival of lamps being held in the Ram ki Paidi ghats. The government of Uttar Pradesh, determined to celebrate Deepotsav (Festival of Lamps) each year with more dazzling lights, prepared for the festival months in advance. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The 1.5 million earthen lamps were sourced from Ayodhya, Lucknow, Gonda and other districts and the gathering of lamps began months in advance. The lamps were designed to burn for more than forty minutes, longer than the burning flame of the last five years. This also gave those who came to see the spectacle more time to witness Deepotsav as 40ml of oil was poured into the lamps rather than the 30 ml poured into them in previous years.
Ayodhya holds fast among the Hindu faith as one of Hinduisms seven sacred cities given that Lord Rama is one of that faith’s most revered deities.
