Indians celebrate Diwali by lighting a record number of clay lamps
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[October 31, 2024]
By BISWAJEET BANERJEE
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Millions of Indians began celebrating the annual
Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, by symbolically lighting a record 2.51
million clay oil lamps at dusk on Wednesday on the banks of the river
Saryu in a northern Indian city they believe to be the birthplace of the
deity Lord Ram.
Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India, particularly
for the Hindu majority. It is celebrated by socializing and exchanging
gifts with loved ones. Many light candles and oil lamps made from clay.
Fireworks are set off. In the evening, a special prayer is dedicated to
the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, who is believed to bring luck and prosperity.
A Guinness World Records team presented a certificate to Uttar Pradesh
state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acknowledging the unprecedented
number of oil lamps, exceeding last year's 2.2 million. Drone cameras
closely monitored the event.
The celebrations took place within the northern city of Ayodhya, where
Prime Minister Narendra Modi nine months ago opened a controversial
Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque following a Supreme
Court decision, seen as a political win for the populist leader. The
establishment of the temple dedicated to Lord Ram fulfilled a
long-standing demand by millions of Hindus.
On Wednesday, thousands of volunteers lit lamps, called “diyas,” along
riverbanks, lanes, fronts and roofs of homes.
“More than 30,000 volunteers, primarily college students, worked
meticulously to maintain the systematic pattern of burning lamps for the
prescribed time,” said Dr. Pratibha Goyal, vice chancellor of Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia Avadh University, who coordinated the massive effort.
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A record 2.51 million earthen oil lamps are lit along the Saryu
river during Deepotsav celebrations on the eve of Diwali, creating a
new Guinness World Record, in Ayodhya, India, Wednesday, Oct. 30,
2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The lamps lit along 55 riverfront steps of the river Saryu created a
captivating display along 1.5 kilometers (one mile). As the lamps
remained lit for over five minutes, government spokesperson Shishir
Singh said Ayodhya achieved its seventh consecutive world record for the
largest display.
Singh said that around 91,000 liters (about 24,000 gallons) of mustard
oil was used to light the lamps.
The event transformed Ayodhya into a city of lights amid devotional
bhajan singing. A laser show depicting scenes from the epic Ramayana
added to the experience, and an eco-friendly fireworks show lit the
skyline. Traditional decorations, including elaborate arches and grand
gateways along the main highways, captured the festive atmosphere as
folk cultural performances drew pilgrims to the streets.
The festival also featured a praying ceremony performed by 1,100 priests
along riverbanks.
Security was tightened across the city. Paramilitary commandos, bomb
detectors, dog squads, face-recognition technology, and real-time
monitoring drones were deployed, police officer Rajkaran Nayyar said.
Major Hindu festivals like Dussehra and Diwali are associated with
mythological tales of Lord Ram extolling the virtues of truth,
sacrifice, and ethical governance.
Diwali's main celebrations are held across the country on Thursday.
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