 "Ram Temple inauguration: Khan Market to Hazratganj, Ayodhya theme reigns")
From New Delhi’s upscale Khan Market to the vibrant streets of Lucknow and the bustling bazaars of Mumbai, saffron flags flutter and the air is charged with a sense of celebration. The inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22 has brought together traders, associations and communities to mark the occasion with a myriad of events, processions and temple-themed merchandising.
Come Sunday evening, and the Khan Market high street, a haunt of diplomats and Delhi’s who’s who, will begin the celebrations with a kirtan, and follow it up with a havan on Monday, the day of the inauguration, which will be livestreamed.
Later, a rath yatra with the deity’s idol will be taken out in the market, and the two-day festivities will conclude with a bhandara. Some 2,000 candles and diyas will also be lit. “All the ceremonies will be held at the [nearby] Gopal temple as directed by the Vishva Hindu Parishad,” says Sanjeev Mehra, president, Khan Market Traders’ Association. “It is a historic event, and we will celebrate it with full zest.”
Later, a rath yatra with the deity’s idol will be taken out in the market, and the two-day festivities will conclude with a bhandara. Some 2,000 candles and diyas will also be lit. “All the ceremonies will be held at the [nearby] Gopal temple as directed by the Vishva Hindu Parishad,” says Sanjeev Mehra, president, Khan Market Traders’ Association. “It is a historic event, and we will celebrate it with full zest.”
Over at Connaught Place, the New Delhi Traders’ Association, which covers the 14 blocks of the inner and outer circles, Regal Building, Rivoli Building, Scindia House and Old Janpath market, has ordered 6,000 metres of running flags to deck up the sprawling space. The plan is to light over 100,000 diyas on Monday evening, and an 11-kg laddoo has also been ordered.
The idea of livestreaming the event, organising a light and fireworks show, and playing bhajans was, however, stymied because of the Republic Day dress rehearsal scheduled for Tuesday. “We did not get permission for it,” says Atul Bhargava, the association’s president.
That’s a small setback, though, given the estimated business the temple’s inauguration is expected to bring in, India-wide.
Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary-general of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), puts the figure at Rs 1 trillion after gathering estimates from trade associations across 30 cities. CAIT, which represents some 70 million traders, had earlier projected the business to be worth Rs 50,000 crore.
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“The faith of the people is creating new businesses,” says Khandelwal as he lists the 30,000-odd programmes that trade associations across the country have lined up: Shri Ram Chowki, rallies, pad yatras, scooter and car rallies, assemblies, and much more.
Over 50 million Ram temple models are expected to be sold across the country, for which small manufacturing units are working night and night across cities, he adds. Dhol, tashe, nafiri, shehnai players, band groups and craftsmen preparing tableaus for the yatras will also contribute significantly to the temple economy, he says.
In Ayodhya’s neighbourhood
Over in Lucknow, thematic merchandise is a hot commodity in popular markets like Hazratganj, Aminabad, Nishatganj, Mahanagar, and Jankipuram. The flags, banners, headbands, posters, festoons, stickers, badges, miniature statuettes and temple models are selling for as low as Rs 20 for a mini-flag to upwards of Rs 500 for a large-sized poster and banner.
The suburbs, too, are doing brisk business. Ramesh Pal, a vendor from Jankipuram, expects business to remain robust even after the consecration ceremony.
In the bedecked markets of Narhi and Bhootnath, trader bodies have asked their members to install a Ram dhwaj (flag) atop their shops. Also on the anvil is a large cutout of Ram at Atal Chowk, the city’s central point, says Sanjay Gupta, president, UP Adarsh Vyapar Mandal.
Meanwhile, the 10,000-odd buses of the Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation will play Ramdhun (religious song in reverence of the deity) for its 1.5 million daily commuters. So far, only buses plying on the Ayodhya route were playing these songs.
To ensure glitch-free viewing of the consecration ceremony, the UP Power Corporation intends to provide uninterrupted power supply on Monday.
The state has also announced a helicopter taxi service to Ayodhya from Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra, Mathura and Prayagraj. Once it is launched, the service will cost between Rs 11,000 and Rs 35,000. Direct flights have already started from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru to Ayodhya.
Maximum City in Diwali mood
The mood is equally celebratory in the markets of Mumbai-Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Many of the shopping destinations here have been organising Ram chowki, kirtan and bhajan for the last few days. Giant hoardings have come up to announce the big event.
Between January 5 and 22, sales worth Rs 10,000 crore are expected in Mumbai-MMR, says Shankar Thakkar, CAIT secretary general, Maharashtra chapter. These will include pooja items like fruits, flowers and sweets.
Among the things that have caught people’s fancy are gold and silver coins with Ram Darbar etched on them, Thakkar says. “Silver has witnessed higher sales.” Also flying off the shelves are keychains, flags, sarees, sashes, t-shirts, and kurtas with images of Ram and Ram Darbar.
Like other cities, Mumbai-MMR will also livescreen the event on giant LED screens, one of which has come up at Gaondevi Maidan in Thane.
In Kolkata, business & a rally
Over at Jadubabur Bazar, an old market in the south of Kolkata, Biswajit Mitra’s flag and festoon stall is a splash of orange with “Jai Shri Ram” flags on display. In the last four days, sales have been in the region of Rs 10,000-15,000, but he is expecting them to shoot through the roof during the weekend. Another nearby stall is also waiting in anticipation with a heap of diyas stacked up. “It will be like Deepavali on January 22,” the owner says.
“Jai Shri Ram” flags and festoons are new to West Bengal, and according to a supplier in Burrabazar, the action is more in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states. Burrabazar is one of the largest wholesale markets in India.
Rohit Gupta of Novelty Stores, manufacturer and supplier of flags and election materials, says that Assam accounted for 85 per cent of its flag sale, Agartala (Tripura) around 10 per cent and West Bengal and other neighbouring states the remaining 5 per cent. Gupta’s production capacity per day is 15,000-20,000, but the demand has been far higher.
Samik Bhattacharya, chief spokesperson of Bengal BJP, says people are responding spontaneously. “It has exceeded our expectations.” He adds that while the BJP is not doing anything under its banner, there will be padayatras in different parts of West Bengal. Screens are being put up in public places to stream the “pran pratishtha” live.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has dubbed the consecration a “gimmick” before the polls, will, meanwhile, lead a rally on January 22 and visit places of worship from different religions. Banerjee has, however, said that this is not to counter anyone or protest anything.
BJP MLA and leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, had pleaded that Banerjee’s rally should not be allowed on grounds of potential unrest, but the Calcutta High Court rejected the plea on Thursday.