Maha Shivaratri: Ujjain Breaks Ayodhya's Guinness World Record, Lights Over 18 Lakh Diyas

New Delhi: On the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain on Saturday (February 18, 2023) set a new Guinness world record by lighting 18.82 lakh diyas (earthen oil lamps). The previous world record for the "largest display of oil lamps" was set by Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, which had lit around 15.76 lakh lamps on Diwali last year. 

The diyas were to be lit for a minimum of five minutes which was done successfully here, Guinness World Records' adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar said. 

About 20,000 volunteers took part in the event which was staged mainly across the banks of the Kshipra river. 

The event was also attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his wife.

।। हर हर महादेव ।।

असंख्य रश्मियों के प्रकाश से प्रदीप्त उज्जयिनी की शोभा और सौंदर्य अवर्णित है। महाकाल महाराज की साक्षात कृपा यहाँ बरस रही है।

लाखों प्रकाश दीपों की मनभावन ज्योतिर्मयता से सनातन संस्कृति का कोना-कोना आलोकित हो रहा है। #MahaShivaratri pic.twitter.com/pxjs7HNQC5

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 18, 2023

According to city officials, the entire event on Saturday was based on the 'zero waste' principle.

With this, Ujjain also kicked off the "Shiv Jyoti Arpanam 2023" program.

"शिव ज्योति अर्पणम: 2023'' कार्यक्रम में साथी श्री @DrMohanYadav51 जी, श्री @mlaujjain जी, श्री @bjpanilfirojiya जी, श्री @iMukeshTatwal जी, श्री @BJP_DrJatiya जी एवं अन्य गणमान्य जनप्रतिनिधि एवं नागरिक उपस्थित रहे। pic.twitter.com/eTulOWe1AG — Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) February 18, 2023

On Maha Shivaratri last year, as many as 11,71,078 earthen lamps were lit in Ujjain.