Early Diwali for Ayodhya Potters as UP Govt Places Bulk Order for 10 Lakh Diyas to Light Up ‘Deepotsav’ – News18

In Jaisinghpur, one of Ayodhya’s most backward villages, there is a flurry of activity these days. On some two dozen electric potter’s wheels, the locals are hard at work, while their family members are busy placing the freshly carved earthenware out in the sun. Some senior kin, meanwhile, are busy in firing the sun-dried earthen wares, using piles of dry grass or hay while some younger members are assigned the task to count the earthenware and pack it in cartons.

Welcome to ‘Kumharo Ka Gaon’(village of potters) where the residents are busy preparing a bulk order of 10 lakh earthen lamps (diyas) placed by the Uttar Pradesh government for ‘Deepotsav’ on Saturday.

The government is planning a grand ‘Deepotsav’, the celebration that marks the eve of Diwali. On the occasion, it will light around 24 lakh earthen lamps, vying for the Guinness Book of World Records. Of the 24 lakh diyas, the order of 10 lakh lamps is being fulfilled by the potters of Ayodhya’s Jaisinghpur village.

“We got the bulk order for Deepotsav. We have already supplied around eight lakh earthen lamps while two lakh are still left. Hence, we are working day and night to make the remaining diyas,” said Vinod Kumar, a potter.

Kumar said there are 40 houses in the village. “I distributed the bulk order equally among the 40 houses. Hence, each family is preparing around 25,000 earthen lamps. We are selling one lamp for Rs 1.05,” said Kumar.

Hailing the initiative, several villagers asked the Yogi Adityanath government to start holding Deepotsav in other districts too in order to give business opportunities to the potters of Uttar Pradesh.

Nitish Kumar, district magistrate, Ayodhya said the bulk orders were given to the potters of Jaisinghpur in order to give them some business opportunities.

While most potters seemed happy, a few expressed their resentment for not giving the entire order to Ayodhya potters and for reducing the amount of earthen lamps.

“In 2022, we sold each earthen lamp for Rs 1.20 and this time, the UP government bought lamps at a reduced price of Rs 1.05 per unit. Also, the government placed the order of only 10 lakh lamps. We are poor people, we need government support in order to meet our financial needs,” said Pramod Kumar, another potter who hails from Jaisinghpur village.