Diwali celebrations at Ayodhya have grown over the past eight years into an internationally acclaimed cultural and religious event. With millions of earthen lamps set to light up the city once again, Deepotsav is expected to draw record crowds from across India and beyond.
The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust reported a massive response to this year’s online booking system, with thousands of devotees securing passes within hours of release. Separate online slots for darshan at the Raja Ram Darbar have been snapped up until November 29, prompting the Trust to pause new bookings until midnight of October 29, when the facility will reopen.
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To manage the influx of devotees, the Trust is issuing 300 online VIP passes and 3,000 offline VIP passes each day. These passes grant access to both morning and evening rituals.
Meanwhile, Ayodhya’s hospitality sector is experiencing unprecedented demand. Hotels across the temple town have reported full occupancy, particularly for the festival weekend between October 18 and 20.
“We are receiving booking inquiries daily, but all our rooms are fully booked until the end of this month,” said Vishal Ganjoor, a local hotelier, reflecting the city’s festive mood.
Scheduled for October 20, Diwali holds exceptional spiritual importance in Ayodhya. As per the Ramayana, it commemorates the return of Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshman to Ayodhya following their exile and Ram’s victory over the demon king Ravana.
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To recreate the divine welcome accorded to Lord Ram, the entire city is being decked out with elaborate lighting, intricate decorations, and Ramayana-themed tableaux. Key areas, including the ghats of the Saryu River, will be illuminated with lakhs of oil lamps, aiming to surpass the previous year’s world record for diya lighting.
Security, crowd management, and hospitality services have been significantly scaled up to ensure the safety and comfort of lakhs of pilgrims expected to attend. Cultural performances, devotional music, and religious discourses will be part of the week-long celebrations, which have become a major attraction for both domestic and international visitors.
