Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said the annual Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya are generating economic opportunities for potters, farmers, workers and small traders, alongside strengthening religious faith and cultural engagement.
In a post on social media platform X on Monday, ahead of his arrival in Ayodhya, the Chief Minister said the festival was providing fresh momentum to the local economy. He said every lamp lit during the celebrations represented the labour of a potter, the produce of a farmer and a source of livelihood for a family.
Focus on local livelihoods
The CM said Ayodhya's cultural potential had not been linked to the prosperity of local artisans, farmers and small traders before 2017. He alleged that there had been a lack of initiatives to convert the economic potential of religious faith into new livelihood opportunities.
The Chief Minister said the situation had changed under the BJP-led double-engine government, which had addressed what he described as the earlier absence of economic opportunities linked to the city's religious and cultural identity.
He said the grand Deepotsav, illuminated by lakhs of lamps, was now creating new avenues of work and business for potters, labourers and small traders.
Festival and economic activity
{{/usCountry}}He said the grand Deepotsav, illuminated by lakhs of lamps, was now creating new avenues of work and business for potters, labourers and small traders.
Festival and economic activity
{{/usCountry}}Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance, CM Adityanath said the celebrations had expanded opportunities for people associated with the local economy. He highlighted the role of traditional lamp-making and other activities connected with the festival in supporting working families.
The Chief Minister said the lamps that illuminate Ayodhya also raise hopes of greater prosperity in the homes of families whose work contributes to the celebrations.
His remarks placed the economic impact of Deepotsav alongside its religious significance, with a focus on linking the city's cultural activities to local livelihoods.
The post comes ahead of the Chief Minister's visit to Ayodhya for the Deepotsav celebrations. His comments highlighted the state government's position that large-scale cultural and religious events can also create work and business opportunities for local communities.