Ayodhya: All eyes would be on Ayodhya on Diwali-eve as the entire Uttar Pradesh ministry, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend a mega event titled Deepotsava. The event is expected to showcase the state government's grandiose plans to develop and project the heritage of the temple city. Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma will be present on the occasion. The Deepotsava on October 18 will recreate the celebrations of Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya, along with wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after victory over Ravana. With the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri mosque dispute likely to pick up momentum in the run-up to resumption of Supreme Court hearings in the matter from December, the BJP governments, both at the Centre and in the state, are leaving no stone unturned to escalate the Ayodhya issue. The Yogi government has already announced plans to build a grand statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya as part of its plan to showcase Navya Ayodhya development project. During his visit to Ayodhya, the CM will lay the foundation of several tourism and development schemes on which Rs 133 crores would be spent, officials said here today. The main attraction of Diwali-eve celebrations would be lighting of 1.71 lakh earthen diyas on the banks of Saryu river. To add a touch of fantasy to the event, a chopper decorated as Pushpak Viman, will descend on Ram Katha Park with artistes decked up to resemble Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman. Also, a heritage walk through Ayodhya, a 'shobha yatra' to showcase the arrival of Lord Ram to Ayodhya and a symbolic 'rajyabhishek' (coronation) are among the programmes scheduled for the day. The lighting of 1.71 lakh diyas will is expected to enter Guinness World Records. The last record of 1.50 lakh diyas was set in 2016 in Ayodhya. Governor Ram Naik and the CM will also perform 'aarti' at a new ghat along the Saryu river and artistes from Indonesia and Thailand will stage Ramlila there. State Principal Secretary (Tourism) Avnish Awasthi said here that a 22-minute lazer show with special sound effects on Ramayana will be the major attraction during the mega event at Ram Katha Park. "The aim of the programme is to attract tourists and showcase tourism spots and the potential of Ayodhya," he pointed out. Prominent places in Ayodhya such as the Ram Ki Paidi, Kanak Bhavan, Hanumangarhi and some temples, besides major crossings in the town, will be decorated and illuminated. Meanwhile, Ayodhya will turn into a fortress on Diwali-eve due to the presence of security forces to ensure the safety of several dignitaries. "More than 1,000 policemen along with 10 companies of PAC and two companies of RAF would be deployed for the security of the VVIPs," a senior police official said. Already, four companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 12 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and nearly 500 civil police are guarding the disputed site in Ayodhya. After attending the Diwali-eve programme in Ayodhya, the chief minister will proceed to Gorakhpur for Diwali celebrations. UNI
