India’s New Tryst With Destiny-Ayodhya to emerge as India’s newgangled tourism site
Given that Saudi Arabia, with just two Muslim holy sites Mecca and Medina, can create a huge tourism-based ecosystem beyond oil,
Ayodhya too could emerge as the world’s newfangled religious tourism site in less than a decade.
With the rise of Mandal
politics and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement since the late 90’s India has been on course for a new tryst with destiny.
The BJP’s ability to tap into the complementarities amidst the two culminated in a first term for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance from 1998 to 2004.
Although it lost some steam amidst the United Progressive Alliance years, it has now again picked up pace under PM Modi led Government.
The Ayodhya Ram temple will go far beyond the immediate surroundings of this ancient capital city of the Ramayana.
The economic impact will be significant, not least because of the Rs 85,000 crore (Rs 850 billion) infrastructure investment planned in and around Ayodhya, including a new township spread across 1,200 acres.
With the rise of Ayodhya as a major religious destination over the next few years, UP effectively gets a new growth and income driver.
The western part of UP is already a startup and manufacturing hub, thanks to Noida, which is a crucial part of the National Capital Region.
What UP may be witnessing is a significant shift in the economic and political centre of gravity eastwards, as was the case in ancient India, where Ayodhya and Pataliputra (present-day Patna) were the hubs.
The golden tourist triangle of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri will now be complemented by the Ayodhya-Prayagraj-Kashi trio in the east of the state.
All said Ayodhya will cater to the religious needs of the world’s largest Hindu country, not to speak of foreign tourists.
News Edit K.V.Raman
