Diwali celebration in India makes it to 'Guinness World Record' once again

Diwali was celebrated by Hindu Indians on Sunday, November 12, 2023 in Uttar Pradesh, Ayodhya at Saryu River, the birthplace of their most esteemed deity, the God Ram.

According to npr, at the dusk of Saturday, the devotees lit up 2.2 million oil lamps and kept them burning for 45 minutes straight as they chanted and hummed Hindu religious hymns, filling the air with divinity at the banks of their holy river.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath was presented with a certificate from the representatives of The Guinness Book of World Records as they finished counting the mini lanterns.

This year’s much awaited festival was able to top the count of oil lamps, beating their previous record of 1.5 million.

“Over 24,000 volunteers who were mostly college students, helped prepare for the festival and the new record,” said Pratibha Goyal, vice-chancellor of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, in Ayodhya.

About Diwali:

Diwali is also known as Dipawali and is India’s biggest and most celebrated holiday.

The event gets its name from avali, a row of clay lamps that Indians light outside their houses to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.

The festival of lights is widely associated with the Hindu deities, Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and Ganesha, the god of wisdom.

It is also associated with the return of the deity Rama with his wife, Sita after the defeat of the demon king Ravana.

The autumn festival is celebrated by the entire country decking their homes and streets with dazzling multi-colored lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.