A Town Divided

The bathing ghats, the maze of narrow streets lined with shops selling religious paraphernalia and most of the nearly 6,000 historic and ancient temples that give Ayodhya its character are deserted. A big change from the pre-December 6, 1992, days when on any given day about 30,000 people would visit the town. "The only occasions we see a crowd is when frenzied kar sevaks storm the town during programmes organised by VHP," says Kalawati Mishra, who sells Ram idols at Hanuman Garhi, the main temple at Ayodhya. "And their arrival ensures there will be no business," she adds sarcastically.

Kalawati is one of the local residents who had once whole-heartedly supported the movement to build the Ram mandir in Ayodhya. But like many other locals, she has become disillusioned over the years. "The VHP used us. They politicised the Ram temple and now I doubt if it ever will be built," says Shripal, a resident of the Tulsiwadi area. Pan shop owner Jai Shankar echoes this lingering resentment: "Gradually, people are realising that only the VHP and BJP gained from the Ram temple. The people and Lord Ram are the real victims."