Hurry potters, 14 lakh ‘diyas’ needed for Ayodhya Deepotsava in two months

TIL Desk/National/Ayodhya/ Potter’s wheels are turning furiously in villages around the holy city to meet an expected record-breaking demand for 14 lakh earthen lamps that would light up the banks of the Saryu, two months from now. A day ahead of Diwali, the Uttar Pradesh government sponsors the Deepotsava’ — a festival of lights — in which volunteers from colleges line a stretch of the riverbank in Ayodhya with ‘diyas’. At dusk, they are lit, presenting a grand spectacle.

The Ayodhya tradition began with Yogi Adityanath’s BJP government. Beginning with 51,000 diyas in 2017, the number went up to 4.10 lakh in 2019, over 6 lakh in 2020 and more than 9 lakh last year, setting a new Guinness World Record. This time, on October 23, the organisers say the target is likely to be 14 lakh. Already, potters in Jaisinghpur village are at work, anticipating large orders.

Raju, who is in his twenties, is among them. Last year, he and those working with him delivered 21,000 diyas for the Deepotsava after they got their order only 15-20 days in advance. “This time I don’t want to take a chance. So we are on the job, making and storing diyas. I expect to deliver 40-50,000 diyas this time,” he said. And like others, he expects a better price. “We got one-rupee per diya last year. But this time I think we should get at least Rs 1.50 for a diya as prices have also risen. Everything has become costlier, so should our diyas,” he said.

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