LUCKNOW, India — Millions of Indians have started celebrating the annual Hindu festival festival of lights, Diwali, by symbolically lighting a record 2.51 million clay oil lamps at dusk Wednesday on the banks of the Saryu River in a northern Indian town believed to be the birthplace of the deity Lord Ram.

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in Indiaespecially for the Hindu majority. It is celebrated by socializing and exchanging gifts with loved ones. Many light candles and clay oil lamps. Fireworks are set off. In the evening, a special prayer is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

A team from Guinness World Records presented a certificate to Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recognizing the unprecedented number of oil lamps, surpassing last year’s 2.2 million. Drone cameras closely monitored the event.

The celebrations took place in the northern city of Ayodhya, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi nine months ago opened a controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque following a Supreme Court ruling seen as a political victory for the populist leader. The establishment of the temple dedicated to Lord Ram fulfilled a long-standing demand of millions of Hindus.

On Wednesday, thousands of volunteers lit lamps, called “diyas,” along river banks, alleys, facades and roofs of houses.

“Over 30,000 volunteers, mainly students, worked meticulously to keep the lamps functioning systematically for the prescribed duration,” said Dr Pratibha Goyal, vice-chancellor of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, who coordinated this massive effort.

The lamps lit along the 55 steps of the riverside Saryu river created a captivating spectacle over 1.5 kilometers (one mile). As the lamps remained lit for more than five minutes, government spokesperson Shishir Singh said Ayodhya had achieved its seventh consecutive world record for largest exposure.

Singh said about 91,000 liters (about 24,000 gallons) of mustard oil were used to light the lamps.

The event Ayodhya transformed in a city of lights amidst devotional bhajan songs. A laser show depicting scenes from the epic Ramayana added to the experience, and an eco-friendly fireworks display lit up the skyline. Traditional decorations, including elaborate arches and grand gateways along major highways, captured the festive atmosphere as folk cultural performances lured pilgrims into the streets.

The festival also included a prayer ceremony performed by 1,100 priests along the banks of the river.

Security has been increased throughout the city. Paramilitary commandos, bomb detectors, dog squads, facial recognition technology and real-time surveillance drones have been deployed, police officer Rajkaran Nayyar said.

Major Hindu festivals like Dussehra and Diwali are associated with mythological tales of Lord Ram extolling the virtues of truth, sacrifice and ethical governance.

The main Diwali celebrations take place across the country on Thursday.