Diwali 2025: Ayodhya's 23.82 crore visitors to mark new high ahead of Deepotsav world record

Lucknow: Ayodhya recorded an unprecedented influx of visitors this year, with over 23.82 crore devotees arriving between January and June, officials said on Sunday. The surge comes as the holy city prepares to host Deepotsav 2025, expected to draw even more pilgrims.

According to a statement from the Uttar Pradesh government, the annual Deepotsav celebrations have significantly boosted Ayodhya’s appeal both in India and abroad. “The number of tourists visiting Ayodhya has been steadily rising. While domestic visitors form the majority, foreign tourists’ interest in the sacred city of Lord Shri Ram has also grown,” the statement noted.

Tourism department data shows a consistent upward trajectory — from 1.78 crore visitors in 2017, when Deepotsav was first celebrated, to 1.95 crore in 2018, 2.05 crore in 2019, and 5.75 crore in 2023. After a pandemic-induced drop to 61 lakh in 2020, footfalls rebounded sharply, reaching 16.44 crore in 2024. Between January and June this year, 50,000 foreign tourists have already visited the city.

Officials attributed this surge to Ayodhya’s “robust infrastructure,” including new four- and six-lane highways, a world-class airport, and a modernised railway station. The city, they said, has evolved into a “symbol of spiritual resurgence and economic growth” under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership. The ongoing construction of the Ram Temple has further elevated Ayodhya’s global stature, driving tourism and generating thousands of local jobs.

Ayodhya is now recognised as a major global pilgrimage and tourism hub, the statement added, crediting the Deepotsav for transforming the city’s profile.

Preparations are in full swing for Deepotsav 2025. A collaboration between Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University and the Ayodhya district administration aims to make this year’s celebrations historic. Nearly 33,000 volunteers will participate, lighting over 26 lakh diyas (lamps) to set a new Guinness World Record.

University Vice Chancellor Colonel Bijendra Singh said the festival will spread “a message of equality and harmony from the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram.” Over 2,000 university members have been deployed across 56 ghats on the Saryu river, where elaborate decorations and lamp formations, including an 80,000-diya Swastika symbol, have been created.

Tight security measures are in place, with entry to ghats restricted to ID cardholders. District Magistrate Nikhil Tikaram Funde said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the evening programme, followed by laser, light and sound, and drone shows at Ram Ki Paidi from 8:30 pm, marking the start of the grand celebrations.

With inputs from PTI