Ayodhya: The five-day Deepotsav celebration has brought a remarkable economic boom to Ayodhya, with record pilgrim footfall and thriving local trade. As the holy city glowed with millions of diyas creating a world record, its markets too lit up with brisk business.
Between October 16 and 22, over eight lakh devotees visited Ayodhya, with more than five lakh offering prayers at the Ram Lalla temple alone. The surge in visitors led to full occupancy in nearly 90 percent of hotels, restaurants, and guest houses. Traders and small vendors selling prasad, flowers, Ramnami cloth, religious photos, and diyas reported bumper sales.
Economists estimate that over Rs 5 crore was pumped into Ayodhya’s local economy during the five-day festival. Street vendors, tea sellers, potters, and small shopkeepers said their earnings during Deepotsav matched or exceeded what they usually make in three months.
Economist Prof Vinod Srivastava said Deepotsav had transformed into a festival of both faith and financial prosperity. “The inflow of pilgrims and tourists created a multiplier effect, benefitting everyone from hotels to hawkers,” he said.
The festive rush also attracted visitors from abroad, with tourists from the US, Australia, Spain, Canada, Fiji, Sri Lanka, and Thailand exploring the temples of Ayodhya and carrying back prasad and Sarayu water as souvenirs.
The blend of devotion, grandeur, and economic activity during Deepotsav has reaffirmed Ayodhya’s growing stature as both a spiritual and economic powerhouse.
