Ayodhya’s Saryu Maha Aarti will be performed by 2,147 archaks on November 7, with the 30-minute ceremony scheduled across the riverfront from Laxman Kila Ghat to Naya Ghat and Ram Ki Paidi during Deepotsav 2025 celebrations, according to Uttar Pradesh tourism officials.
The event will begin at 5.20pm. The number of participating archaks and vedacharyas has increased from 2,128 last year, when the ceremony won a Guinness World Record, Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said. The minister also said participation in the Maha Aarti had risen from 1,121 in 2024 to 2,147 this year.
Preparations are being carried out at 56 ghats along the Saryu riverfront. Around 30 lakh diyas are expected to illuminate Ayodhya on November 7, making the event one of the largest coordinated public cultural programmes in the city’s annual calendar.
The three-day programme, scheduled from November 5 to 7, will also include international Ramlila performances and a Ramayan-themed aerial display involving 2,100 drones. The programme combines religious ceremonies, cultural performances and a large-scale visitor spectacle spread across Ayodhya’s riverfront and public gathering spaces.
Singh said Deepotsav had expanded through public participation and cultural traditions since its beginning in 2017, with each edition adding a new dimension to the celebrations. The latest programme is expected to bring pilgrims and tourists to the ghats for the Maha Aarti, diya lighting and related events.
For the city, the scale of the programme means that activity will be concentrated across multiple riverfront locations rather than at a single venue. The stated event footprint runs from Laxman Kila Ghat to Naya Ghat and Ram Ki Paidi, while preparations cover 56 ghats. The details indicate the need for coordinated management of ceremonial spaces and visitor movement during the evening programme, although the officials cited in the report did not provide separate figures for expected footfall, traffic arrangements or crowd-control measures.
Amrit Abhijat, additional chief secretary for tourism, culture and religious affairs, said the government hoped the event would give pilgrims and tourists an opportunity to experience Ayodhya’s spiritual traditions and cultural heritage and return with lasting memories.
The Maha Aarti is scheduled for 5.20pm on November 7. The wider Deepotsav programme, including the international Ramlila performances and drone display, will run from November 5 to 7.
