Ghats to villages: UP tourism dept expands Dev Deepawali beyond Varanasi

In Madhopur, officials said the Shooltankeshwar Mahadev Temple Ghat will host a heritage storytelling session on the “Legend of Shooltankeshwar Mahadev,” while locally made diyas will be lit up along the riverbank.

Chandrawati village, known as the birthplace of Jain Tirthankara Chandraprabhu, will witness its own traditional festivities, promoting village-level tourism.

Chuitipara in Ambedkarnagar promises a spectacular show at Shravan Dham, where over 21,000 diyas will illuminate the shrine and ghats. The festivities will also feature Bhajan Sandhya, a Rangoli competition, folk dances, and a fireworks display.

Back in Varanasi, the city aims to light 10 lakh diyas across 88 ghats — which are managed by 83 local committees — and about 97 other locations.

The highlight will be the collective Ganga Aarti at eight major ghats — Namo, Gai, Panchganga, Dashashwamedh, Sheetla, Dandkar, Tulsi, and Assi — where devotees and visitors can join in the rituals.

Adding to the spectacle, a “Kashi Katha” 3D show will run from 7.30 pm in three one-hour sessions, followed by a 10-minute green fireworks display near Ganga Dwar at 8 pm.

To ensure smooth celebrations, officials said the ghats and the riverbank have been divided into 20 sectors, each assigned nodal officers to oversee diya distribution, lighting, and crowd movement.
Dev Deepawali, regarded as the Diwali of Gods, is celebrated on the full moon night in the month of Karthik. Earlier in the day, lakhs of devotees took a dip in the Ganga across different ghats on the occasion of Karthik Poornima.

A round-up of events:

-Ganga Aarti at any of the eight designated ghats.

-“Kashi Katha” at 7.30 pm, 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm.

-Green fireworks display near Ganga Dwar at 8 pm.

-Celebrations across different villages of Varanasi, Jaunpur and adjoining areas.