Varanasi shimmers for 'Dev Deepawali': Millions of lamps to illuminate ghats in grand celebration

Varanasi: Varanasi is gearing up for the grand celebration of 'Dev Deepawali' on Monday, with the city adorned in brilliant lights and decorations.
Dev Deepavali, known as "the Diwali of the Gods," falls on the full moon of the Hindu month of Kartika, occurring fifteen days after Diwali.
The riverfront ghats of the Ganges River, from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat, will be illuminated with over a million earthen lamps (diyas) to honour the river Ganga and its presiding goddess.
Visuals from the city showed roads, intersections and prominent spots, dazzling the light.
The festival includes a show featuring firecrackers, lasers, and music under the moonlit sky, accompanied by a green aerial firecracker display.
According to an official release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), a garland of lamps will be decorated on the crescent-shaped Ganga Ghats of Kashi.
"Tourists will be able to enjoy a show of firecrackers, lasers and music under the moonlit sky. A show of green fireworks will also cover the sky while tunes and hymns of Shiva play in the background," said the release.
A green aerial firecracker show will be organised on the sand in front of the Ganga gate of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham. To make Dev Diwali divine and grand, the Yogi government is also organising a laser and crackers show, along with the illumination of the ghats with 12 lakh lamps, the release said.
The festivities will also feature a green aerial firecracker show lasting approximately 13 minutes, enhancing the divine and grandeur of Dev Diwali in Varanasi. Over 7 to 8 lakh devotees are expected to attend this year, and strict security arrangements are in place.
The Deputy Director of the Tourism Department, Rajendra Kumar Rawat, said that preparations are going on for the Green Aerial Fire Crackers Show, which will last approximately 13 minutes.
Dome Entertainment's India Head, Sanjay Pratap Singh, said that there will be a green aerial firecracker show on a stretch of about 1 kilometre on the sand. The fireworks show will be organised on tracks 9 to 10 of hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva, like "Har-Har Shambhu", "Shiv Tandav Stotra," etc.
During the fireworks, an assortment of colours will dominate the sky. Prime Minister Modi, along with the Yogi Adityanth government, has made Dev Diwali from local to global. This year, 7 to 8 lakh devotees are expected to reach Kashi on Dev Diwali. In view of this, the administration is making strict security arrangements, he said.