Ayodhya’s Deepotsav Shines With Two Guinness World Records: Highest Number Of 'Aarti' Performers And Largest Oil Lamp Display

Two Guinness World Records were set at the eighth Deepotsav in Ayodhya on Wednesday (30 October) — one for the highest number of people performing 'aarti' simultaneously and another for the largest display of oil lamps.

The two records were set on 55 ghats, including Ram ki Paidi, on the banks of the Saryu River in the holy city of Ayodhya.

Over 25 lakh diyas were lit together, and 1,121 'vedacharyas' (teachers of religious texts) performed 'aarti' simultaneously. The diyas were counted using drones.

The organizess had planned to light at least 28 lakh diyas; however, they managed to light exactly 25,12,585 diyas, setting a new world record.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the spectacle as "amazing, incomparable, and unimaginable".

“Many congratulations to the people of Ayodhya for the grand and divine Deepotsav! This Jyotiparva at the holy birthplace of Ram Lalla, illuminated by millions of diyas, is heartwarming. This beam of light emanating from Ayodhya Dham will fill my family members across the country with new enthusiasm and new energy," the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

"With a total of 1,121, U.P. Tourism, District administration of Ayodhya and Saryu Aarti Samiti, you are the Guinness World Records title holder for most people performing diya rotations simultaneously. Congratulations!" Pravin Patel, the adjudicator at Guinness World Records declared.

On the second record, the Guinness adjudicator said, "With a total of 25,12,585, which translates into just over 25 lakh, U.P. Tourism, Government of U.P., District Administration of Ayodhya, and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, you are the new Guinness World Records title holder for the largest display of oil lamps!"

The scale of Deepotsav has grown over the years with 1.71 lakh diyas being lit in 2017, to 3.01 lakh in 2018, 4.04 lakh in 2019, 6.06 lakh in 2020, 9.41 lakh in 2021, 15.76 lakh in 2022, and 22.23 lakh in 2023.

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