Ayodhya is emerging from a time warp. Once a dusty town with poor infrastructure and a tumultuous past, it is on the cusp of becoming India's foremost pilgrimage centre. At the centre of this transformation is the three-storey Ram Mandir-161ft tall, 380ft long and 250ft wide, and exquisitely carved in pink Bansi Paharpur stone from Rajasthan Idols of Ram as a child will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple on January 22, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's presence. The consecration will mark an epochal change in India's history.
The infrastructure development has been rapid. An international airport, a world-class railway station with Vande Bharat trains from main cities, a new township, five-star hotels and highways would link the once-sleepy town to rest of the world. Prospects of fast growth in real estate and tourism have been attracting private investments as well. Ayodhya now faces the burden of changing fast enough to keep pace with the influx of pilgrims from across the world.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 14, 2024-Ausgabe von THE WEEK India.
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