Verdict is out: Looming Ayodhya judgment hits business hard

Slowly but surely, Ayodhya is turning into a war zone. The lilting chime of temple bells has been replaced by wailing of police sirens and howling of huge trucks carrying men in uniform. The depressing scenario is completed by RAF and CRPF jawans trampling flowers meant for deities as they conduct daily “flag marches” on the streets of this holy city.

As an army of journalists, cameramen, police and paramilitary personnel pours into this quaint little temple town, its denizens can do little but feel sad about the goings-on around them. The media is one of their favourite punching bags.

“Newspapers and channels are unnecessarily building it up… it seems as if there is going to be a war in Ayodhya,” Arjun Sharma, teacher at a local school, said.

The ominous feeling has taken its toll on the turnout of devotees coming to the makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site.

Speak to any of the numerous shopkeepers on the road leading to the temple, and they will tell you the number of devotees and tourists has dropped drastically. Those who arrive are scared and want to leave asap. Every car moving towards Ayodhya from Faizabad is thoroughly checked by security personnel and passengers bombarded with questions — Where are you from, what is the purpose of your visit, where do you plan to stay, how long would you be staying.

“There are rumours that curfew would be imposed in Ayodhya soon,” Nandu, who runs a sweetmeat shop, said.

Sri Kishan, who runs a shop nearby, is equally crestfallen. “Normally, I sell garlands of up to Rs200 daily… now it’s not even Rs50,” he said, giving an indication of how anxiety over the impending judgment has affected life.

Others point out that people have already begun hoarding supplies as a result of which there has been a steep rise in fruit and vegetable prices. Ashok Kumar, who is building a house in Terhi Bazar area, is facing a lot of trouble as labourers have refused to continue work due to the curfew talk.

On the banks of the Saryu, ‘pandas’ (priests who conduct rituals) are having a tough time, too. “This ghat used to be crowded… people used to start coming here for a holy dip since early morning. But, suddenly, it has all changed,” Pandit Charu Sharma said at Nayaghat. “Earlier, we had people waiting for us while we were busy… now ‘pandas’ have to wait for devotees,” he said.
Faizabad-based writer KP Singh is worried. “There are no industries or employment opportunities here… Ayodhya thrives on religion and worshippers. I shudder to think what will happen if curfew is imposed for even a week?” he said.

That’s a thought troubling the minds of the silent majority in this temple town.