India’s Ayodhya The contentious Ram temple in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya is surrounded by a 13-kilometer stretch of sparkling lights, with murals painted on the walls as the city gets ready for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration ceremony on January 22.
However, Rajesh Majhi is working nonstop to print banners that will be used as roadside advertisements for the consecration ceremony, so he doesn’t have time to take in the beauty of the city. In addition, he is behind schedule on sizable orders for tiny, intricately carved wooden replicas of the Ram temple, which is presently being built.
According to the 38-year-old, his company has grown by almost 30% over the last six months. “In the twelve years that I have been in this business, I have never seen such a high demand for banners. In the last few months, there has been an increase in religious events and VIP visits to the city, he told Al Jazeera.
From a year ago, his monthly orders for banners had doubled to 60,000, he said. He has also opened a manufacturing unit to produce Ram temple replicas, which is a new business venture for him.
Although we produce 4,000–5,000 pieces per month, there is a greater demand than there is supply. Because of the discrepancy between supply and demand, traders are willing to purchase them at any price, he said.
About seven kilometers from the temple, Kamal Kaushal, 62, is a vendor of cutlery in the city, and he too is pleased with the quick expansion of his company.
“Since I opened my store in 1978, I have never encountered a demand this great for utensils used in religious activities.
It used to be extremely difficult to sell utensils for one lakh rupees [$1,206] in a year. However, I have now made sales of three lakh rupees, or $3,618, in the previous year. With the Ram temple’s opening, we anticipate seeing more hikes.
The pair is not alone, as thousands of merchants in the area have been operating at a high clip ever since the construction of the temple began in 2020, a few months after the Indian Supreme Court granted Hindus ownership of the contentious 2.77-acre religious site. It is anticipated that the upsurge in economic activity will reinforce Modi’s support among the local traders in the approaching national elections.
