The Dipotsav festival in the city of Ayodhya, known as Ram Nagari, is preparing to create a new history. As part of the tenth edition of this festival, which will take place on November 7, an air show using 2100 domestically produced drones will be organized. This show will be thematically based on the Ramayana.
Additionally, 2147 participants will hold the Arti ceremony on the banks of the Sarayu River, and the entire city will be illuminated by millions of clay lamps. Uttar Pradesh Governor Yogi Adityanath inspected the preparations for Dipotsav on Friday.
Governor Yogi instructed officials to ensure the celebration is on a scale comparable to last year, including illuminating the entire city of Ayodhya starting from 'Ram Ki Paudi'. He noted that Dipotsav, which began in 2017 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has achieved global recognition.
The tenth edition of Dipotsav will be a unique celebration reflecting Vedic traditions, Indian culture, and folk belief. The Governor also directed that utmost attention be paid to the convenience, safety, cleanliness, and unimpeded movement of pilgrims and guests.
According to the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Tourism and Culture, the event will be divided into three phases. The first phase will begin with a grand procession from Saket College, where thematic scenes and cultural performances illustrating the ideals of Lord Rama's life will be presented.
The second phase involves the symbolic arrival of Lord Rama and Mother Sita at Ramakhand Park, followed by the 'Bharat Milan' ceremony and the coronation of Shri Rama.
The third phase will take place at Ram Ki Paidi and will include Arti on the Sarayu River, the Dipotsav itself, cultural performances by 200 artists, a 2100-drone air show, a laser show, eco-friendly fireworks near Gond Bridge, and a staging of the international Ramlila.
Approximately 35,000 volunteers will participate in this large-scale event. Around 1000 artists from 13 Indian states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, Rajasthan, Bihar, Kerala, Goa, and Telangana—will showcase their folk arts and traditional dances.
Cultural representatives from 12 countries will also participate in the event. Both foreign ambassadors based in India and Indian diplomats working abroad are invited. The goal is to reach over 50 million people through digital channels.
The Governor also ordered that on October 26, the day of Maharishi Valmiki's Janmashtami, continuous recitation of the Ramayana according to the Valmiki version will be held in all temples of Uttar Pradesh, along with organizing cultural events dedicated to the Ramayana.