Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the celebrations by lighting lamps at Ram Ki Paidi.
Ayodhya was lit up with more than 36 lakh earthen lamps on Saturday across 56 ghats, including Ram Ki Paidi as the city celebrated the 10th edition of Deepotsav.
The celebrations along the Saryu riverfront marked another milestone, with nearly 10 lakh more diyas lit compared to last year.
The ninth edition in 2025 had earned two Guinness World Records for lighting 26,17,215 earthen lamps simultaneously and having 2,128 people perform ‘aarti’ together, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, PTI reported.
Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in the celebrations by lighting lamps at Ram Ki Paidi. The event also featured a laser show with 3D holographic projections, live performances based on the Ramayana and a drone display depicting Lord Ram and scenes from the epic.
Earlier, Adityanath and members of his cabinet performed religious rituals at Ram Katha Park, offering prayers to Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughna, Hanuman and sages. A symbolic coronation of Lord Ram was also organised.
The celebrations included a ceremonial procession featuring symbolic representations of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita arriving in a Pushpak Viman. Flowers were showered from a helicopter as the tableau entered the city. The chief minister, deputy chief ministers and other dignitaries pulled the chariot carrying the figures.
More than 35,000 volunteers from educational institutions and voluntary organisations helped organise the celebrations by arranging and lighting lamps across the ghats.
Temples, ashrams, monasteries, public buildings, roads and residential areas were also illuminated. Devotional chants of “Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram”, “Jai Siya Ram” and “Siyavar Ramchandra Ki Jai” echoed across Ayodhya as devotees and tourists gathered for the festivities.
The programme concluded with cultural performances by artists from Uttar Pradesh and other states, alongside fireworks marking the symbolic arrival of Lord Ram.
