Ayodhya bars festive stage-plays amid virus surge, preps for virtual Deepotsav on Diwali

The Ayodhya administration has denied permission to stage Ram Leela in the district in view of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The permission to stage Ram Leela in Ayodhya was sought by the ‘Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan’, the government department that organises the performance, said Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan manager Ram Teerath.

Teerath said that the department had sought the permission to hold Ram Leela in the open within the Ayodhya museum premises.

“Over 300 Ram Leela artists have been facing difficulties in earning their livelihood for the last seven months as, after the suspension of the Ram Leela, the government did not issue payments to them.”

However, the Ayodhya administration has begun preparations to organise a grand celebration of ‘virtual’ Deepotsav on the occasion of Diwali in the city.

The celebration of a grand Deepotsav in Ayodhya was started by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi after he assumed the office in 2017.

Minister for Tourism and Culture Nilkanth Tiwari has issued detailed instructions to the Ayodhya administration for the celebration of a ‘Virtual Deepotsav’ this year.

During a review meeting of the Ayodhya administration officials on the arrangements to celebrate a virtual Depotsav, Tiwari had said that a new record of lightning ‘diyas’ would be created during this Deepotsav.

“A virtual platform will be developed from the banks of river Saryu to Ram Katha Park to control the crowd and only the volunteers, following the anti-Covid-19 guidelines will be allowed to light up the lamps,” he said.

“The common men, however, will connect themselves with this virtual Deepotsav by lighting up ‘diyas’ in their homes,” he said.

Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan Director YP Singh said: “We are planning to arrange a 3D system of lightning of Diyas under which a link will be sent to the mobile users, who will click on the link and a Diya will lit up virtually.”

A digital certificate from the government will also appear on the mobile phones testifying that the person has taken part in Deepotsav virtually, he said.