AYODHYA, Oct. 4 -- It is one city with two tales. One narrative highlights the transformation of Ayodhya in over 20 months since the grand consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22, 2024. The other perspective shows an ancient pilgrim town grappling with challenges, both old and new, wherein the political primacy, spiritual significance and developmental dimension form a unique pattern. The 13-kilometre Ram Path, now the lifeline of Ayodhya, mirrors the recent transformation of the town. Stepping onto this thoroughfare, one witnesses that Ayodhya has shed its image as a mofussil town to emerge as a centre of spiritual and commercial activity. While the consecration of the Ram Temple created an economic ripple effect across Ayodhya, there is a complex ground reality beneath the surface. So, while some areas bask in prosperity, others face significant challenges, leading to a perception about uneven distribution of gains. For many locals, the very development that has brought prosperity to some has introduced new hurdles: restricted movement, severed connectivity between the modern Ayodhya Dham and the older Faizabad city. Adil Hussain, a third-generation resident of Ayodhya, says he has witnessed transformation in the temple town from the kar seva of the 1990s to construction of the Ram Mandir. "Once Ayodhya used to be a small town. No one used to visit. Everything changed after the Supreme Court's verdict in favour of Ram Mandir on November 9, 2019. Now, Ayodhya is on the world map. Increasing footfall of pilgrims has brought prosperity," Hussain says. "But too many restrictions and barricades have made commuting a big problem even for locals," he adds. It was the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that proved to be a turning point. Today, if you happen to enter Ayodhya via the Lucknow-Ayodhya bypass after a gap of over two years, you're greeted by a broad 24-feet-wide four-lane road. A majestic statue of Lord Ram stands proudly at the centre, dividing the lanes. Earlier, this route was a narrow, single-lane road riddled with potholes, quite a contrast from the smooth passage it has become. "Ayodhya has undergone a lot of change after the construction work of Ram Mandir began on August 5, 2020. Along with Ram Mandir, the entire city has undergone a remarkable change," says Anil Mishra, member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. " Now, through a world-class railway station and an airport, Ayodhya is on the global map," Mishra adds. Kamla Kant, who has come from Visakhapatnam to pay obeisance to Ram Lalla, says, "Ayodhya has changed a lot since Ram Mandir came up. I have been coming to Ayodhya even before construction work of Ram Mandir began. Once a small town, Ayodhya is now a bustling city." "But commuting has become an ordeal for pilgrims. For outsiders, even entering into Ayodhya has become a problem due to many barriers and checkpoints," he says. At Tedhi Bazar crossing, vehicular movement is carefully regulated. Beyond this point, entry for four-wheelers is restricted. Only local, non-commercial vehicles bearing the Ayodhya RTO code UP-42 are permitted beyond Tedhi Bazar. All other vehicles are diverted to the left lane by police personnel stationed at a temporary outpost. For out-of-town four-wheelers to proceed beyond the checkpoint, clearance must be obtained from the police control room. Just a few metres beyond Tedhi Bazar, pilgrims are frequently seen walking toward Gate No. 3 of the Ram Mandir along Ram Path. While only 2.83 lakh people visited the city in 2016, the number skyrocketed to 13.44 crore by September 2024, according to the state government. After Ram Mandir, the most visited temples in Ayodhya are Hanuman Garhi, Dashrath Mahal and Kanak Bhavan. Pilgrims visiting Ayodhya make it a point to offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi. "After the opening of Ram Mandir, Ayodhya has seen an increase in the footfall of pilgrims. Almost every devotee who visits Ram Mandir makes it a point to offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi," says Raju Das, priest at Hanuman Garhi. The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham, offers direct connectivity to major cities across the country. Also, the once nondescript Ayodhya Cantt railway station now boasts of modern amenities, with a particular emphasis on cleanliness and comfort. Locals point out that much of the development in Ayodhya has been concentrated solely along Ram Path. A section of residents say prior to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22, 2024, there was direct connectivity between Ayodhya Dham and the old city of Faizabad. Now, the tempos that once travelled seamlessly from Hanuman Garhi to Sahadatganj have disappeared. Today, if someone needs to shop for household essentials in Ayodhya (formerly Faizabad), they must change auto-rickshaws at least three times. Even the golf carts along Ram Path are limited in scope. "The golf carts must be extended up to Sahadatganj (old Faizabad) for the convenience of locals. Currently, there's no direct connectivity between Ayodhya Dham and the rest of Ayodhya (old Faizabad)," says Pankaj Gupta, a prominent trader leader of the city. Gupta's concerns are shared by others. A well-known hotel owner, operating in the heart of Ayodhya Dham, says, "After the Mahakumbh ended, business in Ayodhya began tapering off." Despite some challenges, Ayodhya has stood out as a top-performing district in Uttar Pradesh, outpacing larger cities in business growth over the past two years. Ayodhya's business activity nearly doubled, fuelled largely by the construction of the Ram Mandir and supporting infrastructure. Ayodhya's GST collection increased from Rs 990.14 crore in 2022 to Rs 1,798.23 crore in 2024. Ayodhya has drawn interest from international investors, with projects like a world-class museum and Saryu River cruise operations on the horizon. On June 7, Ayodhya witnessed its first hike in circle rates in nearly eight years, with increases of up to 200%, particularly around Ram Janmabhoomi and Ramkot. In a reflection of the temple town's progress, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asserted "we have brought Diwali back to Ayodhya." His statement was a reference to the Deepotsav celebrations that are held in Ayodhya on the Diwali eve every year since 2017. Ayodhya's political significance is undeniable, stemming from the Ram Janmabhoomi movement that transformed a local land title dispute into a key national political issue. After decades, the legal battle reached its conclusion with the Supreme Court's unanimous verdict on November 9, 2019 granting the site for the construction of a Ram temple. The recent electoral history of Ayodhya, within the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency that encompasses the Ayodhya Sadar assembly segment, is interesting. While the BJP's Ved Prakash Gupta won the Ayodhya Sadar assembly constituency in both the 2017 and 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the 2024 Lok Sabha election brought an upset. Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate, Awadhesh Prasad, won the Faizabad LS seat, defeating the two-term BJP MP Lallu Singh, by 54,567 votes, just over four months after inauguration of the Ram temple....