Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday described Ayodhya's Deepotsav scheduled to be held on November 7 as a symbol of social unity, saying the festival brings together people from different sections of society through shared faith and cultural participation.

CM Yogi is scheduled to visit Ayodhya to review the preparations for the event.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister said that caste divisions had historically been used as a basis for politics, while the Deepotsav, initiated by the state government in 2017, had transformed Ayodhya's cultural heritage into a celebration involving people from all walks of life.

जाति की जड़ता समाज को बांटती है, जबकि साझी आस्था और संस्कृति उसे एक सूत्र में पिरोती हैं। श्री अयोध्या जी का दीपोत्सव इसी सामाजिक एकता का जीवंत उदाहरण है। वर्ष 2017 से पहले जातीय विभाजन को राजनीति का आधार बनाने वाली सरकारों ने समाज को जोड़ने वाली इस सांस्कृतिक शक्ति की पूर्णतः उपेक्षा की। डबल इंजन सरकार ने वर्ष 2017 में दीपोत्सव की शुरुआत कर इस सोच को बदला और राम नगरी की सांस्कृतिक विरासत को जन-जन के उत्सव में बदल दिया। पूज्य संत गण एवं आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के यशस्वी मार्गदर्शन में आज धर्माचार्य गण, विद्यार्थी, स्वच्छताकर्मी, कुम्हार और व्यापारी सभी समान उत्साह एवं श्रद्धा से इस आयोजन में सहभागी होते हैं। यहां पहचान जाति से नहीं, सहभागिता से होती है। दीप अलग-अलग हाथों में जलते हैं, लेकिन उनका प्रकाश पूरे समाज को एक करता है। यही दीपोत्सव का संदेश है। यही समरस समाज की संकल्पना है। जय जय श्री राम।

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) November 3, 2026

"Lamps burn in different hands, but their light unites the entire society. This is the message of Deepotsav," he said.

"Caste rigidity divides society, while shared faith and culture weave it into a single thread. Shri Ayodhya ji's Deepotsav is a vibrant example of this social unity. Before the year 2017, governments that made caste division the basis of politics completely ignored this cultural force that unites society. The double-engine government changed this mindset by starting Deepotsav in 2017 and transformed the cultural heritage of Ram Nagari into a festival for all people," Yogi added.

He said people from different backgrounds participate in the event with equal enthusiasm and devotion.

"Under the illustrious guidance of the revered saints and the honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, today religious leaders, students, sanitation workers, potters, and traders all participate in this event with equal enthusiasm and devotion. Here, identity is not determined by caste, but by participation. This is the vision of a harmonious society. Jai Jai Shri Ram," he added.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway across Ayodhya for the upcoming Deepotsav. Key locations, including Ram Ki Paidi and the banks of the Saryu River, are being cleaned, painted and decorated as the city gets ready for the celebrations.

Speaking to ANI, local priest Siddharth Das on Monday expressed excitement over the preparations and said that this year's celebrations were expected to be particularly grand.

"Preparations are underway in full swing. The Chief Minister is coming to inspect the arrangements. As you can see, preparations for a grand event are taking place behind us. This time, we have heard that 31 lakh diyas will be lit, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also coming," he said.

He further described the happiness surrounding the celebrations, saying that the occasion brought immense joy to the people of Ayodhya.

Another priest, Acharya Prashant Pandey, said that the arrangements were being made to ensure a divine and memorable celebration.

He said that Ram Ki Paidi was being cleaned and painted, while sanitation work was also underway along the Saryu River. Roads, pathways and other public spaces were being cleaned, painted and decorated.

Describing the preparations, Pandey said the city was looking so beautiful that it appeared as though the atmosphere of the Treta Yuga had returned.

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The annual Deepotsav has become a major cultural celebration in Ayodhya, with preparations involving the illumination of the temple town and its prominent religious and public spaces.