NOT JUST IN THE NAME OF RAM
THE WEEK India|June 02, 2024
When voting, Ayodhya has always looked at issues beyond the temple
PUJA AWASTHI
NOT JUST IN THE NAME OF RAM

FAITH THAT WAVERING, amorphous being-is as difficult to describe as it is to tame. Think of it as a shape-shifter. In Ayodhya (Faizabad parliamentary constituency), a town of big faith and bigger mysteries, it has changed form swiftly. And in what might appear to be equal part disbelief and myth, Ayodhya does not vote solely in the name of its most loved son, Ram.

In its narrow lanes-resonating with the sounds of bells and conch shells-along the drying Sarayu and under a cruel summer sun, the Ram Mandir is not 'the' roaring electoral issue. The loud excitement of January 22-the day of the pran pratishtha (consecration) of the idol of Ram-has settled into the monotonous twang of everyday living. For local residents, there are the huge crowds to grapple with.

For Lord Ram, there is an unending stream of devotees, keeping him awake as he smiles at them beyond the regular darshan hours. (There have been repeated appeals to delay visits till the crowds are more manageable.) Ayodhya, which cast its vote on May 20, has not always favoured the stalwarts of the Ram Mandir movement. In this nagri (city) of tyaag (sacrifice), poor losers have been made out of giant winners. In 1998, instead of choosing Vinay Katiyar, founder of the Bajrang Dal, the constituency went with Mitrasen Yadav of the Samajwadi Party. A year later, Katiyar romped home. In 2004, he was out, and Yadav, who was then with the Bahujan Samaj Party, won.

In 2009, the electorate went with Nirmal Khatri of the Congress. Lallu Singh, 69, of the BJP won the seat in the last two elections.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE WEEK INDIAView all
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
THE WEEK India

What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?

IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
THE WEEK India

Trump and the crisis of liberalism

Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Men eye the woman's purse
THE WEEK India

Men eye the woman's purse

A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
When trees hold hands
THE WEEK India

When trees hold hands

A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Ms Gee & Gen Z
THE WEEK India

Ms Gee & Gen Z

The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
THE WEEK India

Vikram Seth-a suitable man

Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Superman bites the dust
THE WEEK India

Superman bites the dust

When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
THE WEEK India

OLD MAN AND THE SEA

Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE WEEK India

Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets

THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 08, 2024
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
THE WEEK India

Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay

AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024