WATCH: City breaks world record with 300,000 oil lamps for Diwali
The northern Indian city of Ayodhya broke a Guinness World Record by lighting more than 300,000 clay oil lamps on the eve of the Hindu festival Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights.
The 301,152 lamps were lit simultaneously for five minutes on the banks of the Sarayu River, which runs through the holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, beating a 2016 record held in a neighboring state, according to a regional government statement.
Guinness World Records confirmed the record to CNN and that this surpassed the previous title of 150,009 lamps achieved in Haryana on September 23, 2016.
The event in Ayodhya was attended by South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook, who is on a four-day visit to India, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The East Asian country has a historical connection to the city due to a Korean legend which tells how a princess from Ayodhya traveled to Korea and married Korean King Suro in 48 CE, the statement said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the event that featured cultural performances from Laotian, Russian, Indian and Trinidadian artists.
Hindus -- the majority in India -- traditionally believe that Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Rama, one of that faith's most revered deities. Ayodhya is one of the Hindus' seven sacred cities.
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