Ayodhya, May 20 -- The temple town of Ayodhya, which witnessed an unprecedented surge in pilgrim footfall during the Maha Kumbh, is now grappling with a sharp decline in religious tourism. According to a recent survey conducted by the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand Economic Association, the number of devotees visiting Ramnagari has dropped by nearly 50 percent in the past two months.
This sudden fall has had a direct and adverse impact on the local economy, affecting everything from hotels and transport services to street vendors and small shopkeepers. Kamlesh Srivastava, city president of BJP Kamlesh Srivastava, said that the downward trend began around March 10.
Until recently, Ayodhya used to attract 1.5 to 2 lakh devotees daily, especially...