Ayodhya, October 27, 2019: History was created in the temple town Ayodhya when people lit 600,000 earthen lamps on the Saryu river bank on October 26, the eve of Diwali.

A Guinness World Records representative certified it as a new record, said Uttar Pradesh government’s Director of Information Shishir.

“Last year’s record was of 301,168 diyaas at the ghat. This time, it was 410,000 diyaas at the ghat,” he added.

More than 200,000 diyaas were also lit elsewhere, bringing the total to more than 600,000.

The certificate by Guinness World Records said, “The largest display of oil lamps was achieved by the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University (both India) during Deepotsav 2019 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India on 26 October 2019.”

The record came days ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the title suit over the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who declared the ceremony as a state event, supervised the arrangements for days before the festival of lights.

Addressing the people on the occasion, he said, “The previous governments were scared of Ayodhya and never wanted to come here. In my tenure of two-and-half years, I visited Ayodhya around 18 times. Whenever, I come, I bring schemes worth hundreds of crores for this place.”

The chief minister also laid foundation of various schemes worth 2.26 billion rupees.

“Of the seven pious cities, three of them — Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura — are in our UP. No one in the country or in the entire world possess such prosperous and cultural environment. We all feel proud on the tradition of Ram. The name of Ayodhya itself brings the idea of “Ram Rajya” in our minds,” said Adityanath.

The chief minister also claimed Ram Rajya is “such a system of governance, in which people are not differentiated on the basis of caste, creed, religion, sect, region and language.”

For each follower of the “Sanatan Dharma,” Ayodhya is the same sacred place, as other religions have their own.

The chief minister said the development plans in Ayodhya are being taken forward with full energy.

Earlier in the morning, a grand ”shobha yatra” (celebratory procession) of Lord Ram was flagged off by Deputy Speaker of Fiji”s Parliament Veena Bhatnagar at Saket College.

Meandering through various prominent roads of Ayodhya, the procession concluded at Ramkatha Park, the UP government said in a statement.

The Shobha Yatra with 11 chariots was cheered by citizens. Speaking on the occasion, Bhatnagar said she felt honored and lucky to have participated in Diwali-eve celebration at Ayodhya.

“The relationship of Fiji and India are very old. I am very happy for all the love, affection and honor being given by the UP government to me,” she added.

Source: arunachaltimes.in