Diwali 2025 in Ayodhya: Preparation for Deepotsav 2025 with 22 tableaux, 5 foreign Ramlilas

Diwali is a major five-day festival in India, starting on the 13th day of the waning moon of the lunar month of Ashwin and continuing till the month of Kartik. Celebrated between mid-October and mid-November, it falls on the new moon day and is also known as the festival of lights.

To create a truly unforgettable Diwali, Ayodhya is the place to be, offering a spectacular celebration of faith, culture and bright lights. With the newly constructed Ram Temple at its centre, the city transforms into a breathtaking canvas of devotion, inviting visitors to witness an epic re-enactment of the return of Lord Rama.

Ayodhya is an excellent place for the celebration, as it is the spiritual home of the festival, which marks the return of Lord Rama with a grand celebration called Deepotsav. The city is preparing for its spectacular Deepotsav festival, which this year is scheduled to take place from October 18 to 20 with a drone show and light and sound show.

A special highlight of the festival will be the pollution free green fireworks show on 19th October. Speaking to ANI, Ashutosh Dwivedi, director of the International Ramayana and Vedic Research Institute, said that 22 tableaux will be displayed during the grand Deepotsav.

He said that Ramlilas of five countries including Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Nepal will also be displayed in Ram Katha Park. He said, “Preparations for the 2025 Deepotsav are in full swing, this year 22 tableaux will be displayed, including seven of the Sanskrit Department, 14 of the Information Department and one of the Ayodhya Development Authority.”

In 2024, More than 25 lakh lamps were lit in Ayodhya. This year, the ninth edition of Deepotsav aims to create a new world record by lighting 28 lakh (2.8 million) earthen lamps or diyas along the Saryu Ghats on the eve of Diwali.

But Deepotsav ceremony in Ayodhya Two Guinness World Records were set in 2024. The first was for the most number of people lighting ‘diyas’ simultaneously, while the second record was for the largest display of oil lamps, in which a total of 2,512,585 lamps were lit along the banks of the Saryu River. This was the eighth edition of the festival, which was held on the eve of Diwali.

This year Lakshman Kila Ghat will be included in Festivities For the first time, it will be illuminated with more than 4.25 lakh (425,000) lamps. Ram Ki Pauri, the centerpiece of the festival, will be lit with 15-16 lakh (1.5 million-1.6 million) lamps.

Ahead of the festival, the city’s markets are witnessing a rush of devotional activities, with child idols of Ram Lalla becoming the most sought-after items among visitors. These small idols depicting the divine innocence of Lord Rama are being sold rapidly in the local markets and temple streets.