New Delhi: According to the event organisers, the world’s largest oil lamp was lit in Punjab’s Mohali to send a message of global peace. According to them, over 10,000 citizens contributed oil for the event, which ended with a world record. The world’s largest Diya, measuring 3.37 metres in diameter and made of around 1,000 kilogrammes of steel, was lit here on Saturday evening by chief guest of the event Lt Gen K J Singh (retd), former general officer commanding-in-chief of Army’s Western Command, to spread the message of world peace, unity, secularism, and humanism. Over 10,000 citizens, including 4,000 residents of ‘Hero Homes,’ representing the diverse fabric and diversity of Indian society, contributed 3,129 litres of organic and diya-appropriate oils to create this one-of-a-kind peace symbol.
Hero Homes, which hosted the event on its premises, is a residential division of Hero Realty Private Limited, Hero Enterprise’s real estate arm. The huge diya was lit in the presence of official adjudicators of the Guinness Book of World Records, who were present at the Society of Hero Homes in Mohali to record this feat, according to Ashish Kaul, CMO, Hero Realty. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this diya was lit with 3,000 litres of cooking oil and is the world’s largest oil lamp ever lit.
“This is an unconventional event combining the dual intent of celebrating Diwali as per tradition and one that also manages to spread an important social message.” Lt Gen Singh said. He believes it is fitting that Punjab, which has seen strife in the past, is now home to the world’s largest peace icon. “If you look at diya, it is a medium to spread light, awareness, knowledge, and knowledge related to peace,” Lt Gen Singh added. “I have my roots in Kashmir,” said Ashish Kaul, CMO, of Hero Realty, who came up with the idea for the world’s largest oil lamp. I’ve been looking for a peaceful way to return home for the last 32-33 years.
“So, for me as a person, it has always been a quest for peace and when I thought Diwali was around the corner, what better occasion to send out a message of peace than this? We have seen so much bloodshed in Kashmir, and we see war in Ukraine, so I thought that the true message of Diwali was a celebration of peace and it is the biggest festival of peace. So, this humble diya is the biggest source of inspiration for global peace”. “I thought I must have the biggest symbol of peace in the world from the land of Punjab, from this country for the whole world to know that if at all there is something which we need first and foremost, it is peace, which makes everything else meaningful,” said Kaul. He said, “The oil in the diya, collected from various individuals irrespective of regions, languages, religions and other cultural creeds, represents the united resolve for peace and spirit of Indians.”
