Ayodhya Gears Up for Record Drone Show and 10th Deepotsav

As the Diwali lights begin to flicker across the holy banks of the Saryu, Ayodhya is buzzing with a different kind of sparkle – thousands of tiny drones rehearsing their choreography. The technical crew has been out day and night, running trial after trial to make sure everything runs like a well‑tuned bhajan on the night of November 7.

What’s on the agenda? A jaw‑dropping fleet of 2,100 indigenously built drones that will take to the sky and spell out scenes from the Ramayana. According to Ishwar, a member of the drone‑management team, “We’ve designed twelve distinct formations, each echoing a moment from Lord Rama’s life. And yes, there’s a brand‑new formation of Rama himself that the animation crew just finished.” He added that this is the first time such a massive swarm will be deployed over Ayodhya, and that a laser show will kick off the evening before the drones paint the night.

But the sky‑high spectacle is only half the story. On the ground, the city is gearing up for the 10th edition of Deepotsav, a celebration that marks Lord Rama’s return after fourteen years of exile. More than 30 lakh earthen lamps – that’s three million little oil‑lit glimmers – will be placed along 56 ghats of the Saryu River, turning the waterway into a river of fire.

Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi told reporters that the final rehearsals for the mass aarti at Saryu Ghat have just wrapped up and that “all decorations are nearly complete.” The ceremony will be graced by President Droupadi Murmu as chief guest, with Vice‑President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also on the guest list.

In short, Ayodhya is set to become a living tableau of myth and modernity – earthen lamps dancing on the riverbanks while a swarm of drones rewrites the ancient epic in light. For locals and visitors alike, it promises a Diwali night that will be talked about for years to come.