Anurag Thakur Shares Ayodhya Deepotsav's Radiant Spectacle
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur shared a video of Ayodhya's Deepotsav on 7 November 2026, opening with a Ramcharitmanas couplet and hailing the Sarayu riverfront lamp-lighting as a divine and grand spectacle.
Key Takeaways
BJP MP Anurag Thakur posted a video of Ayodhya's Deepotsav on 7 November 2026 .
He quoted a Tulsidas verse from the Ramcharitmanas describing Ayodhya's beauty as Lord Rama approaches.
The post described the event as the 10th edition of Deepotsav, calling it 'divine and grand.' Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights on the Sarayu riverfront , organised by the Uttar Pradesh government .
The event is part of UP's broader push to develop Ayodhya as a heritage-tourism destination.
Thousands of earthen lamps turned the banks of the Sarayu into a river of light — and BJP MP Anurag Thakur made sure the nation saw it. On Saturday, 7 November 2026, the former Union Minister shared a video of Ayodhya's Deepotsav, marking what he described as the festival's tenth edition with a verse from the Ramcharitmanas and a joyful invocation of Lord Rama.
Thakur opened with the immortal Tulsidas couplet: 'Avadhapuri Prabhu aavat jaani, bhai sakal shobha kai khaani' — ('Knowing that the Lord approaches Ayodhya, it became the very mine of all beauty') — before calling the scene at Ayodhya Ji a 'divine and grand spectacle' and signing off with 'Jai Jai Shri Ram.'
Deepotsav: From Riverbank Ritual to Heritage Showcase
The Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights organised on the Sarayu riverfront in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, where rows of diyas — traditional earthen oil lamps — are lit in a coordinated display that has grown in scale with each passing year. The Uttar Pradesh government has championed the event as a centrepiece of its push to position Ayodhya as a premier heritage-tourism destination, drawing pilgrims, tourists, and political attention in equal measure. Ayodhya is regarded in Hindu tradition as the birthplace of Lord Rama and has been a major pilgrimage centre for centuries. The Deepotsav format — mass lamp-lighting paired with cultural performances along the river — amplifies that devotional identity into a spectacle visible from the air.Political Figures and the Ayodhya Moment
Sharing imagery and verse from Ayodhya during major festivals has become a well-established gesture among leaders across the political spectrum, but it carries particular resonance for BJP figures, for whom Ayodhya occupies a central place in the party's cultural narrative. Thakur, who represented the government's communication and sports portfolios before leaving the Cabinet, continues to use his platform to amplify moments of cultural and religious significance to his followers. The choice of a Ramcharitmanas verse — rather than a plain caption — signals a deliberate, devotional register, one that speaks directly to the millions of Rama devotees for whom Deepotsav is as much a spiritual event as a civic one. As Ayodhya continues to invest in tourism infrastructure around its religious calendar, moments like Deepotsav are likely to grow louder — and the political amplification around them louder still.Point of View
He frames the Deepotsav as devotional first and political second — a softer but equally deliberate form of messaging. The Uttar Pradesh government's annual investment in scaling up Deepotsav gives national leaders a ready-made, visually spectacular platform. As Ayodhya's infrastructure expands and its calendar of events grows, this kind of cultural amplification is set to intensify ahead of future electoral cycles.
NationPress
7 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Deepotsav in Ayodhya?
Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights held in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, where thousands of earthen lamps are lit along the Sarayu riverfront to celebrate Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya, as described in the Ramcharitmanas.
What did Anurag Thakur post about Ayodhya Deepotsav?
BJP MP Anurag Thakur shared a video of Ayodhya's Deepotsav on 7 November 2026, quoting a Tulsidas verse from the Ramcharitmanas and calling the spectacle 'divine and grand,' signing off with 'Jai Jai Shri Ram.'
Which verse did Anurag Thakur quote for Deepotsav?
He quoted the Ramcharitmanas couplet 'Avadhapuri Prabhu aavat jaani, bhai sakal shobha kai khaani,' which translates to: 'Knowing that the Lord approaches Ayodhya, it became the very mine of all beauty.'
Who organises Deepotsav in Ayodhya?
The Deepotsav is organised by the Uttar Pradesh government as part of its efforts to promote heritage tourism in Ayodhya.
Why is Ayodhya significant for Deepotsav?
Ayodhya is regarded in Hindu tradition as the birthplace of Lord Rama, making it the most spiritually resonant site for Deepotsav, which commemorates Rama's return to the city after 14 years of exile.
