Sand artist recreates episodes from Ramayana in Ayodhya ahead of Diwali celebrations

The sand artist recreated famous Ramayana episodes including 'Bharat Milap,' and 'Ram Laxman, Seeta,' symbolising "Treta Yug," the second of the four yugas (a vast period of time) in Hinduism, with the goal of making the Diwali festival a grand celebration in Ayodhya as the construction of Ram Temple is underway. 

Rupesh Singh, the artist, told news agency ANI, "I opted for this sand art because my parents could not afford the expenses of art-related tools. I started creating art by using sand as it is affordable."

"I get a lot of appreciation from the people and the media. This is a very unique form of art. I have a dream of making the world's largest sand art," he added. During the Deepotsav festival, eight to nine lakh oil lamps will be lit at Ram ki Paidi's 28 ghats. This will be the event's biggest number of oil lamps lit. 

Ayodhya Deepotsav 2021

The Uttar Pradesh administration, led by Yogi Adityanath, has announced that the state will host a spectacular Deepotsav celebration for Diwali on November 3 in Ayodhya. According to the Yogi government, 7.5 lakh diyas (earthen lamps) would be lit, creating a new global record.

Nearly 7,000 volunteers have been deployed for the huge event, according to the Ayodhya administration. The management also stated that many trials will be undertaken to ensure that the final event runs smoothly and that a team from the Guinness Book of World Records will be present to assess the grand celebration. Ved Prakash Gupta, a BJP MLA from the Ayodhya Sadar Assembly Constituency, had said that elaborate preparations are being made for the huge celebration at Ram Ki Paidi.

Ayodhya sets Guinness World Record 

On the occasion of Diwali in 2019, a record of 4,10,000 clay lamps were lit on Ayodhya's great Deepotav on the banks of the Saryu River, and a year later, the lighting of a total of 5.84 lakh diyas smashed the previous record. Only locals were allowed to attend Deepotsav celebrations in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Aarti was conducted at Sriramala Virajman in the premises of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi by Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This will be the fifth annual Ayodhya Deepotsav, and the second after the city's under-construction Ram temple's Bhoomi Pujan in August 2020.

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: ANI