Ayodhya is set to celebrate the long-awaited arrival of Ram Lalla as it gears up for Deepotsav on Wednesday. After 500 years, the city will shine with over 3.5 million diyas illuminating Ramnagari, including more than 2.5 million at Ram Ki Paidi, creating a historic spectacle.

Festivities will begin in the morning, showcasing a vibrant blend of spirituality, culture, and tradition, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and UP ministers in attendance. This year’s Deepotsav is the first since Ram Lalla’s consecration in the grand temple, making it a highly anticipated event across Uttar Pradesh.

The procession, starting from Saket Mahavidyalaya, will feature 18 tableaux—11 by the Information Department and 7 by the Tourism Department—depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Artists from various states will add their cultural richness with traditional folk dances such as Faruahi, Bamrasiya, Mayur, Bahrupiya, Awadhi, and Tharu. The event will conclude with a grand display of fireworks and rangoli, celebrating the eighth Deepotsav under the Yogi government in a beautifully decorated Ayodhya.

Leading the celebrations, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will arrive in Ayodhya by 2:30 PM, landing at Ram Katha Park. Upon his arrival, he will preside over the coronation ceremony of Lord Shri Ram and Sita, joined by Union Ministers and dignitaries in pulling the ceremonial chariot before the coronation. The Chief Minister will also address the public during the event.

This year promises another milestone with a Maha Aarti on the banks of the Saryu River, featuring the Chief Minister alongside 1,100 batuks, 157 saints, and a visual spectacle with all batuks dressed in uniform attire. The 15-minute Aarti offers a profound spiritual experience.

As dusk falls, the lighting of over 2.8 million diyas across 55 ghats, including Ram Ki Paidi, will commence. A team of 30,000 volunteers from Avadh University is tasked with illuminating Ayodhya, and once lit, a Guinness Book team will use drones to verify the count, with results expected by 8 PM.

A mesmerizing aerial drone show will fill Ayodhya’s skies with 500 drones displaying vibrant visuals of Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Hanuman. The show, featuring Indian-made drones, will recreate scenes such as Ravana Vadh, Pushpak Viman, Deepotsav, and Ram Darbar Valmiki, enhanced by laser light displays, voiceovers, and music for a captivating experience. Grand fireworks on the Old Saryu Bridge will add to the spectacle.

Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will join CM Yogi on the main stage at Ghat No. 10, where the Guinness World Record certificate will be awarded to recognize the record-breaking lighting of diyas. Late in the evening, CM Yogi will also watch the Ramleela at Shri Ram Katha Park and will spend the night in Ayodhya, visiting Hanumangarhi and Ramlala the following morning before departing for Gorakhpur.