Ayodhya has intensified preparations for Deepotsav, with Ram Ki Paidi, the banks of the Saryu River, roads, pathways and other public spaces being cleaned, painted and decorated ahead of the November 7 celebration. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is scheduled to visit the city to review arrangements for the event.
The annual festival has grown into a major public celebration across Ayodhya, requiring coordinated work in religious precincts, riverfront areas and civic spaces. Officials and workers are carrying out sanitation and beautification activities at key locations as the temple town prepares for large-scale participation.
In a post on X, Adityanath described Deepotsav as a symbol of social unity and said the event brings together people from different sections of society through shared faith and cultural participation. He said the state government began the festival in 2017 and had transformed Ayodhya’s cultural heritage into a celebration involving people from across society.
The Chief Minister said religious leaders, students, sanitation workers, potters and traders participate in the event. He described participation rather than caste as the basis of identity at the festival and linked the celebrations to his vision of a harmonious society.
Local preparations include cleaning and painting at Ram Ki Paidi, sanitation work along the Saryu River and the decoration of roads, pathways and public areas. Priest Acharya Prashant Pandey said the work was being undertaken to create a memorable celebration, while another local priest, Siddharth Das, said preparations were progressing in full swing.
According to Das, organisers expect 31 lakh diyas to be lit during this year’s celebrations. He also said Union Home Minister Amit Shah was expected to attend, although the report did not provide further details of his programme. The scale of the proposed illumination places the management of public spaces, sanitation and movement through Ayodhya at the centre of the preparations.
Deepotsav was initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2017 and has since become an annual event involving the illumination of prominent religious and public spaces in the city. The Chief Minister’s scheduled inspection is expected to review the arrangements ahead of the November 7 programme.
