Deepotsav in Ayodhya to feature 30 lakh diyas on Saryu banks
The event provides employment opportunities for potters across Uttar Pradesh through orders for 33 lakh diyas.
Ayodhya will see 30 lakh diyas illuminating the banks of the Saryu during this year's Deepotsav, according to the Hindustan Times. An order for 33 lakh diyas has been placed for the event, which serves as an opportunity for local artisans.
The initiative under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath connects religious tradition with employment. The scale of the event has helped stem the migration of artisans to metropolitan cities by providing work within their villages.
The benefits of the celebration have spread across various districts, including Gonda, Basti, Gorakhpur, Azamgarh, and areas in Bundelkhand. Potters from these regions are sending clay diyas to Ayodhya in advance.
The Deepotsav has been entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. This achievement is attributed to the participation of the potters whose work illuminates the ghats.
To support the profession, the government has formed the Mati Kala Board and provided modern facilities like electric potter's wheels. These measures aim to provide an assured market and reduce the role of middlemen for artisans.