Deepotsav 2024: Ayodhya Sets Two Records With Over 25 Lakh Diyas And 1,121 People Performing

During Deepotsav 2024, a record-breaking 25,12,585 diyas lit up the city -- surpassing last year’s count of 22.23 lakh -- and 1,121 Vedacharyas jointly performed the Sarayu aarti, setting another milestone.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated Deepotsav 2024 by lighting lamps at Ram Ki Paidi in Ayodhya.

As soon as the scheduled time of lighting the diyas began, 25,12,585 diyas were lit one by one amid the chanting of 'Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram'. With the announcement of the record by the representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records, the whole of Ayodhya resounded with the slogan of 'Jai Shri Ram'.

This milestone was confirmed by a Guinness World Records representative after drone calculations.

“Under the leadership of Yogi Government, teachers of Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University and its affiliated colleges, teachers and students of inter colleges, voluntary organisations, saints, local public representatives, local administration, tourism-culture ministry etc. also played a big role in creating the record,” UP government said in a statement.

During the event, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, among others, were present.

“Since initiating Deepotsav in 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has strengthened Ayodhya's connection with his Gorakshapeeth lineage, enriching the festival year after year. In his two terms, Deepotsav has flourished, illuminating Ayodhya with both lights and devotion, endearing the Chief Minister further to the people,” the UP government said.

“The progression of Deepotsav records speaks for itself: 1.71 lakh diyas in 2017, 3.01 lakh in 2018, 4.04 lakh in 2019, 6.06 lakh in 2020, 9.41 lakh in 2021, 15.76 lakh in 2022, and 22.23 lakh in 2023. This year, over 25.12 lakh diyas were lit, symbolising the prosperity and growing pride of the state under the Yogi government,” the government added. (IANS) 

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The rally started in front of the office of the West Bengal Medical Council, also at Salt Lake and ended at the Central Government Office (CGO) complex which houses the office of the CBI's special crime unit.

"The point from where we started our rally was the root of all the corruption in the medical services in the state. The point where our rally ended was the place from where the investigation in the rape and murder is being conducted. That is why we chose these two points," said a representative of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), the umbrella body of the junior doctor spearheading the movement on the rape and murder issue.

Another WBJDF representative said that it would be wrong to think that withdrawal of the fast-unto-death demonstration earlier in the month was the end of the movement by the junior doctors.

"We will continue with the movement. Our protest march to the CBI office today reflected our grievances about the first charge sheet of the central agency where only civic volunteer Sanjay Roy has been identified as the sole prime accused in the rape and murder case. We still believe that such a ghastly rape and murder cannot be the handiwork of one," another WBHJDF representative said.

"Tomorrow is Kali Puja and Diwali, the festival of lights. But we observed Diwali today through this torch rally," she added.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said that the junior doctors should have organised this “march to CBI office” much before. "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been voicing for justice for the victim since the very beginning. She had been calling for capital punishment for the convict. Now, the CBI is in charge of the investigation and hence the protest rally to CBI office should have been conducted much before," he said. (IANS)

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The new Samvat or Hindu New Year begins at the time of Diwali. During this time, many investors believe that trades made during Muhurat draw prosperity for the year ahead.

In view of these sentiments of the people, a special window of one hour is given for investing in the stock market on Diwali. In this special session, investors can easily invest in shares through their demat account.

In 2024, the Muhurat trading session will be held on the evening of November 1 and people will be able to invest in the stock market from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. However, trading in the market is closed during the day.

During the Muhurat trading session, normal trading takes place in all segments of the market and one can trade in derivatives along with equity.

Muhurat trading was first started on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in 1957. Muhurat trading on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) started in 1992.

Before the introduction of electronic demat accounts, traders used to participate in Muhurat trading on the exchanges.

If the history of the last 11 years of Muhurat Trading sessions is reviewed, the stock market has performed positively in 9 out of 11 sessions. Since 2018, the market has consistently given positive returns on the day of Muhurat Trading. Only in 2016 and 2017, it gave negative returns.

In last year's Muhurat Trading session, the Sensex rose 355 points, or 0.55 per cent, to 65,259 and the Nifty 50 index rose 100 points, or 0.52 per cent, to close at 19,525. During this period, midcap and smallcap stocks performed better, with the BSE Midcap index giving a return of 0.67 per cent and the BSE Smallcap index giving a return of 1.14 per cent. (IANS) 

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