The annual Deepotsav in Ayodhya on Diwali will not be scaled down due to the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, it will be held on a grander scale this year, even though there will be minimal public participation.

Since this is the first Deepotsav after the start of Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wants the celebration to be grander than before.

At a high-level meeting in Lucknow on Friday, Yogi Adityanath asked the Culture department brass for a detailed presentation on Deepotsav.

“The chief minister wants the Deepotsav this year to be a memorable event. We will ensure that people see the event virtually around the globe,” an official said.

Deepotsav was started by the Yogi Adityanath government at Ayodhya in 2017 which saw residents, volunteers and devotees coming together and lighting a record number of 1.76 lakh earthen lamps (diyas).

Last year, Ayodhya created a world record by lighting 5.51 lakh diyas that earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

This year, however, it is unclear whether the number of lamps being lit would be increased or not.

Sources said that the UP Tourism department was looking to beautify Ayodhya in an eclectic way and installation of LED light boxes was a near surety.

Made of acrylic sheet, the LED light boxes would illuminate the area in a new way. Also, the city roads would witness stunning life-size structure depicting ‘Ram Darbar’ on a chariot with an independent lighting arrangement.

Besides, Ram Darbar would also be set up at Ram ki Paidi on the Saryu river banks. The 18-feet-tall structure will have carved pillars and other decorative elements.

The state government has already granted the status of State Fair to the Deepotsav in Ayodhya. With the new found status, the Deepotsav will now be planned by the district magistrate of Ayodhya.

Last year, approximately Rs 1.33 crore were spent by the state government on Deepotsav.