Kishan Reddy Hails Ayodhya Deepotsav 2026 Splendour
Synopsis
Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy marked Ayodhya Deepotsav 2026 on 7 November, praising the annual festival of lights along the Sarayu river as a celebration of faith, culture and the Ramayana tradition in Ram's birthplace.
Key Takeaways
Kishan Reddy , Union Coal and Mines Minister and BJP Telangana president, celebrated Ayodhya Deepotsav 2026 on 7 November 2026 .
Ayodhya Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights on the Sarayu river ghats recreating Ramayana scenes through mass diya lighting.
The Ram Mandir , inaugurated on 22 January 2024 after the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, has significantly elevated the scale and national profile of the event.
The central government has promoted Ayodhya alongside Varanasi and Mathura as a flagship religious tourism destination.
Official attendance and tourism revenue figures for the 2026 edition are yet to be announced.
The ancient city of Ayodhya lit up in a cascade of diyas on Saturday, 7 November 2026, as Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy joined the chorus of celebration — calling the birthplace of Prabhu Shri Ram a city that 'glows with divine splendour' as the timeless story of the Ramayana came alive in spectacle and song.
Diyas on the Sarayu: What Deepotsav Has Become
Ayodhya Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights held along the banks of the Sarayu river, where mass lighting of earthen lamps recreates scenes from the Ramayana in an open-air canvas that stretches across the ghats. What began as a state-level cultural initiative has steadily grown into one of India's most-watched religious celebrations, drawing pilgrims, tourists, and cultural observers from across the country.
Kishan Reddy's post, tagged #AyodhyaDeepotsav2026, described the event as 'a spectacular celebration of faith, culture and tradition' — language that captures the dual identity Ayodhya now carries: a living seat of devotion and an emerging destination on India's religious tourism map.
Ayodhya After the Ram Mandir: A City Transformed
The backdrop to every Deepotsav since early 2024 is the Ram Mandir, inaugurated on 22 January 2024 following the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi site. The temple's completion fundamentally changed the scale and symbolism of Ayodhya's annual celebrations — turning a regional festival into a nationally watched event.
The central government has consistently positioned Ayodhya alongside Varanasi and Mathura as anchor sites for religious tourism infrastructure, with road, rail, and airport upgrades accelerating in the post-mandir phase. Deepotsav functions as the annual showcase — the moment the city's transformation is put on public display.
A BJP Leader's Pilgrimage of Words
As BJP's Telangana state president, Kishan Reddy's engagement with Ayodhya's celebrations carries a political as well as a devotional register — signalling to voters in a southern state that the party's connection to Ram's birthplace remains central to its identity. The post, brief and image-free but accompanied by a video, lets the visuals do the heavy lifting while the minister plants his flag in the moment.
Official attendance figures and tourism revenue data for the 2026 edition are yet to be released — numbers that will tell the fuller story of how deeply Ayodhya's transformation has taken root.
For now, the diyas are burning. And Ayodhya, once again, is the centre of the world for millions who believe it always was.
Point of View
Particularly for leaders operating in states — like Telangana — where the party is still building electoral ground. The Deepotsav has evolved from a state cultural event into a nationally curated showcase of the Ram Mandir's legacy, making ministerial participation a form of soft political signalling as much as cultural celebration. As Ayodhya's infrastructure matures and tourism numbers grow, these annual moments of high-profile endorsement help reinforce the government's ownership of the city's transformation narrative.
NationPress
7 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayodhya Deepotsav?
Ayodhya Deepotsav is an annual festival of lights held in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, where thousands of earthen diyas are lit along the Sarayu river ghats to celebrate Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya and to depict scenes from the Ramayana.
When was the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya inaugurated?
The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was inaugurated on 22 January 2024, following the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
Who is G. Kishan Reddy?
G. Kishan Reddy is the Union Minister of Coal and Mines in the Indian government and also serves as the BJP's Telangana state president.
Why is Ayodhya significant in Hinduism?
Ayodhya is revered in Hindu tradition as the birthplace of Lord Rama, the central deity of the Ramayana epic, making it one of the holiest cities in India.
How has the Ram Mandir changed Ayodhya Deepotsav?
Since the Ram Mandir's inauguration in January 2024, Deepotsav has grown in national profile and scale, becoming a flagship event for India's religious tourism push alongside sites like Varanasi and Mathura.
