KASHI – Kashi looked like a sea of light on Wednesday night as about 25 lakh diyas were lit across the ghats for Dev Deepawali. The show outline huge crowds, loud chants and a special programs that mixed faith with tribute to soldiers.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath start the function by lighting a diya and chant of “Har Har Mahadev.” He moved along the riverfront to take part in the Ganga Aarti and greet devotees. Officials said the lighting began after five in the evening and filled the ghats with warm, steady flame.
At Dashashwamedh Ghat, organisers placed a model of the Amar Jawan Jyoti and paid respects to soldiers who fought in the Kargil war and in Operation Sindoor. This year, the state dedicated Dev Deepawali to Operation Sindoor and honoured the armed forces during many of the aarti moments.
The nights also staged a three-stage light and laser show at Chet Singh Ghat. The show used sound, lights and 3D effects to tell Kashi’s stories, its myths and its old culture. Organisers decorated Dashashwamedh Ghat with more than twenty-one quintals of flowers and over fifty-one thousand lamps. Making the main ghat look bright and floral. They honoured soldiers with the Bhagirath Shaurya Samman as part of the evening’s tributes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared pictures and praise of the festival on his X handle, saying Kashi’s ghats shone with lighting that gave joy and hope to everyone. Leaders and ministers shared greetings. The crowds stood by the river and watched the lamps float and burn in steady lines.
Security was tight. Authorities declared Varanasi a no-fly zone for the night and limited drone use. They deployed teams from the NDRF, water police, and local units on the ghats. Female officers in plain clothes and quick response squads worked to keep order. Thousands came for darshan at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
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