Ayodhya, Jan 13 The celebrations for the first anniversary of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratistha ceremony, having started on January 11, are currently underway with devotees and saints engaging in various events including rituals, prayers and cultural events.
The unprecedented rush in devotees has led to a surge in the city’s economic activity, also reflecting in the outcome of local traders and businessmen.
A couple of local traders spoke to IANS about this drastic turnaround.
Pawan Kishore Gupta, a third-generation trader who has been running an ancestral shop, told IANS that the number of visitors to the city has increased manifold after the inauguration of Ram Temple, last year.
“On the first anniversary of Ram Mandir’s Pran Pratistha, the city is also brimming with devotees who want to have a glimpse of Ram Lalla and seek his blessings,” he told IANS.
He said that the spurt in visitors has also resulted in the upliftment of economic activities and many traders like him have seen a jump of more than 70 per cent.
“Earlier, there was some discomfort and derision among people due to widening of the roads but today, it’s the trading community that is benefiting,” he said.
According to state government estimates, more than 3 lakh visitors have been arriving in the temple town on daily basis, since last year. In the past one year alone, more than 13.5 crores have visited the city.
The influx of visitors has not only amplified the city’s spiritual significance but also spurred economic growth in the surrounding areas.
Another trader Ajay Kumar Singh told IANS about the impact of devotees' rush on local businesses.
“Earlier, shopkeepers like us used to sell products worth Rs 600-Rs 700, which has now been converted into thousands,” he said.
Another local businessman, trading in figurines of Hindu deities spoke about the spike in trading volumes a year after the opening of Ram Temple.
“Earlier, if the trades stood at Rs 50,000, it has doubled to over 1 lakh today. Customers can go on a shopping spree till late at night. Large numbers of big firms have also made a foray into the market, offering a wide array of products,” he said.
The city’s transformation in the past one year is also visible from the rising numbers of commercial spaces including hotels and guesthouses. Hotels, restaurants as well as eating outlets and guest houses have mushroomed in the city.
According to a government official, the number of hotels and guesthouses was not even a dozen in numbers few years ago but today their number has grown to around 200.
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