Ayodhya Deepotsav will add an augmented reality Ramayan experience at Ram Ki Paidi this year, allowing visitors to scan designated locations with their mobile phones and view five three-dimensional scenes from the epic against the physical surroundings.
The Uttar Pradesh tourism department is developing a location-based application for iOS and Android devices for the celebrations, scheduled from November 5 to 9. The application will allow visitors to view, record and share the digital scenes on social media. The augmented reality feature will operate only within Ram Ki Paidi, making the riverfront site part of the experience rather than simply a backdrop.
The programme will also include an eight-minute laser show and a 20-minute projection-mapping presentation depicting Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya. Together, the two presentations will form a 28-minute spectacle. The tourism department is preparing new visuals, music, animation and a revised storyboard for the show.
Tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said the presentations were being designed particularly for Gen Z audiences. “Projection mapping, lasers, aerial acts and live performances will bring Indian tradition and modern technology together to tell the story of Lord Ram’s return,” he said.
The main programme is scheduled for November 7 in the presence of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. More than 100 folk and classical artists will take part, with the narrative presented through dance, music and Hindi narration. Organisers will use a floating stage, human aerial acts and moving props during the performance.
Three additional public shows will follow the main programme on November 7, while four shows are scheduled for November 8. These performances will extend the use of Ram Ki Paidi as a programmed public space during the festival and combine live cultural programming with projection and laser-based visual displays.
A separate drone presentation featuring 2,100 Made-in-India drones will be held on November 9. The drones are scheduled to form Ramayan-themed images in the sky, with the presentation reserved exclusively for Ayodhya residents.
The tourism department and the local administration have also extended the celebrations by one day following demands from local representatives. The programme was initially planned for four days, from November 5 to 8, with the main celebration on November 7. Cultural activities, celebrations and events will now continue on November 9, a day after Diwali.
Additional chief secretary for tourism, culture and religious affairs Amrit Abhijat said the initiative was intended to offer pilgrims and tourists from India and abroad a memorable experience of Ayodhya’s faith and cultural heritage. The scheduled events will determine how the city’s public riverfront accommodates mobile-based digital experiences, large-scale visual presentations, live performances and a major drone display within a single festival programme.
