Since this year Diwali is coming with stringent regulations, the UP government is planning on launching a website for a virtual ‘Deepotsav’, which would allow people to take part in the event by lighting a virtual diya. This event is scheduled to be hosted in Lucknow on November 13 and as per plans, one lakh diyas will light the banks of the Gomti river. Along with this itinerary, the officials have also planned on lighting 5.51 lakh earthen lamps in Ayodhya. This will the first ‘Deepotsav’ programme in the state capital.
A new Guinness World Record in Line
All of these earthen lamps are being developed from cow dung and women belonging to various self-help groups, are working toward producing diyas for the upcoming festivity. According to the Additional Chief Secretary panchayati raj, Manoj Kumar Singh, the event is generating employment for women who are making diyas in their homes.
“We are also making idols by mixing cow dung with mud and ash. Apart from this, we are so making toys for Diwali which are a part of tradition. There are over 5,000 women involving this task,” Jyoti, a member of one such self-help group, was quoted saying.
A UP government statement mentioned, “The virtual ‘Deepotsav’ will be no less real than the actual one and thus, this platform will enable a real experience. The portal will comprise a portrait of Lord Ram before which the virtual lamps will be lit. The portal will have a facility to pick up the lamp-stand of one’s choice- steel, brass or any other material.”
“An option of using ghee or oil will also be available for the devotees. Not only this, the hands of the person lighting up the lamp on the website would be based on whether the devotee is a man or a woman. After the lamps are lit, based on the details of the devotees, a “thank-you” digital letter carrying Lord Ram’s picture from the UP Chief Minister will also be issued. The web portal will be uploaded before the main event on November 13 available for the common people,” the statement added.
The government aims at breaking its last year’s record of lighting up more than 4.1 lakh lamps, by burning over 5.5 lakh lamps this time to set a new Guinness World record.
