Dev Deepawali on 24 November: 11 lakh lamps, laser and drone shows on Kashi ghats

VARANASI: Dev Deepawali will be celebrated in Varanasi on the evening of 24 November 2026, with more than 11 lakh lamps to be lit on the Ganga ghats, the sandy bank opposite and 100 kunds in the city, officials said at a preparatory review held on 11 November.

The festival falls on Kartik Purnima, and lakhs of devotees are expected. The programme is spread across several ghats, which gives residents and pilgrims more places to watch from, on land and from boats.

When and where: Lamps will be lit on the ghats on the evening of 24 November, and the maha aarti will be held at Dashashwamedh Ghat. A projection and laser show is planned at Chet Singh Ghat, drone shows in front of Dashashwamedh Ghat and Assi Ghat, and green fireworks in front of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham ghat. Before that, Ganga Mahotsav will run from 20 to 23 November at Namo Ghat, with a cultural evening on each of the four days.

For those planning a boat ride, a two-way lane has been created on the river between Namo Ghat and Assi Ghat using floating jetties. Boats will travel from Namo Ghat towards Assi Ghat and return along the sandy bank on the opposite side, Amar Ujala reports.

The lamps include those made by women's self-help groups. Arrangements for lamp-lighting are also to be made at Sarnath, Markandey Mahadev temple, Shooltankeshwar temple and major kunds.

Details are from Amar Ujala's report of 12 November on the official review; the date and the lamp count also appear in an earlier Curly Tales report.