Ayodhya Diwali preparations: Volunteers put oil lamps at Ram ki Paidi for Deepotsav

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 21 : Volunteers were on Friday given the task of arranging oil lamps on 'Ram ki Paidi', a series of ghats on the banks of Ayodhya's Saryu river, for Deepotsav on October 23, ahead of Diwali.
Lord Ram's kingdom Ayodhya is all set to celebrate another grand, illuminated Diwali under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had started 'Deepotsav' in the first year of his assuming office in 2017.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the mega celebrations on Diwali eve on the occasion of Deepotsav.
"The sixth 'Deepotsav' is all set to break its own previous records making it historic. The volunteers began lighting diyas at the Ram ki Paidi ghats on Friday around 10 a.m. Numerous buses were used to transport the volunteers from the university campus to the ghats starting at 8 am," an official statement said.
As many as 5,000 volunteers were brought to the Ram ki paidi on several trips. The work of arranging lamps was started under the supervision of the 'ghat' coordinators, it informed.
The figures of Ram Darbar and Ramayana period have been engraved on 'Ghat number 10.'
"All the volunteers wore Deepotsav ID cards around their necks and caps. The volunteers' chanting of 'Jai Shri Ram' in between the task demonstrates their eagerness for Deepotsav," the statement said.
As the Deepotsav will be celebrated on October 23, by the afternoon of October 22, about 17 lakh diyas will be arranged at all the ghats.
"Everyone is trying together to make the sixth Deepotsav grand and historic," Deepotsav Nodal Officer and University Advisory Committee President Prof. Ajay Pratap Singh said.
The volunteers from the university have begun the process of decorating the diyas at 37 ghats. About 22,000 volunteers from universities, affiliated colleges and voluntary organizations will be deployed the next day.
"Without a valid identity card, volunteers will not be permitted entry. Carrying someone else's identity card will result in action. A medical team has been stationed close to Ghat No. 3," Singh said.
The Guinness Book team will count the lamps placed on the ghats on October 22. Ghat coordinators and group leaders will be present while this task is being completed. Municipal sanitation workers have been deployed to clean the ghats.
The Refreshment and Food Committee has also made arrangements for refreshments and food for the volunteers till Deepotsav.
"On October 23, the target of lighting 15 lakh diyas given by the Uttar Pradesh government will be attained easily. Volunteers will light 17 lakh bulbs for this, and the state will once more make it into the Guinness Book of World Records," the nodal officer said.
The setting up of the diyas at Ram ki Paidi is being watched over by Sub-Nodal Officer Dr Sangram Singh, Ghat coordinators, and office bearers.