The festival of Dev Diwali every year on the land of Varanasi is not just a religious festival, but a living form of faith, discipline and cultural self-realization. This year’s Dev Diwali once again returned Kashi to the form where religion became not just a matter of worship but a collective experience of India’s spiritual consciousness. Organized under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this year’s Dev Diwali was truly a glimpse of “divine and grand India”. Based on the concept of ‘Clean Kashi, Green Kashi, Divine Kashi’, the event became not just a sea of lamps, but a symbol of a cultural renaissance – a renaissance that re-illuminates the Indian soul.
Let us tell you that this time the Ganga Mahotsav (1 to 4 November), organized even before Dev Diwali, had filled the entire Kashi with colors, melodies and rasas and when the lighting of lamps started on the banks of the Ganga on the evening of 5 November, Banaras truly became the “Diwali of the Gods”. Dashashwamedh, Chet Singh, Rajghat, Namo Ghat and Vishwanath Ghat, lit with thousands of lamps, together proved that when tradition and modernity meet, culture not only survives but also flourishes.
Read this also: Dev Deepawali 2025: Gods will descend in Shivnagar on Dev Deepawali, know the importance of lamp donation and method of worship.
This year’s Dev Diwali not only witnessed grandeur but also set an exemplary example of the system. Arrangements related to crowd control, security, cleanliness, smart lighting, CCTV and drone monitoring were visible on the ground. Also, for the convenience of the devotees, there was round-the-clock arrangement of drinking water, toilets, first aid centers and control rooms at the ghats. This was the same Kashi which was once known for narrow streets and chaos, but has now become the “capital of light and discipline”.
The laser show at Chet Singh Ghat and green fireworks on the banks of Ganga enthralled the audience. The event made it clear that the Yogi government’s policy of “management based faith” has given a new direction to religious events where faith and administration go hand in hand. If seen, for Yogi government, Kashi is not just a city but “a place symbolic of the soul of India”. Be it the innovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project or the expansion of Ganga Mahotsav and Dev Diwali, it is clear that the government is not just organizing religious events, but is running a national campaign of cultural renaissance.
This time in Kashi, there was active participation of local artists, schools, women’s groups, voluntary organizations and religious leaders. Folk singing, classical music, and dance performances took place at every ghat. It was not just a celebration, but it was a “widespread rebirth of culture”. The most beautiful glimpse of Dev Diwali was seen this time in the honor of the sailor community. Moreover, the slogan “Clean Kashi, Green Kashi, Divine Kashi”, this time appeared not only on the hoardings but throughout the conduct of the event.
If seen, Kashi’s Dev Diwali gave the message to India that modernity and spirituality are not opposites, but complement each other. Yogi Adityanath’s government has not limited the religious event to just “faith”, but has linked it with smart management, security and public participation. Kashi again proved that it is not just a city, but the abode of the eternal soul of India. Kashi’s Dev Diwali is a reaffirmation of the truth that when tradition joins the system, the culture is not only alive but becomes immortal.