Silence spread on Rampath.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Expansion
These days, the crowd in Ayodhya, which was buzzing with devotees after Pran Pratistha, has reduced. The number of devotees has decreased due to the scorching heat and bright sunlight. The temperature has reached 40 degrees in April itself. If the devotees are decreasing, it is affecting the business also. The sale of Laddus Prasad has reduced in Hanumangarhi area. After Pran Pratishtha, where two lakh devotees were offering darshan and worship at Hanumangarhi every day, now this number has come down to 20 thousand.
Laddu traders are worried due to decrease in the crowd, while the railing on Bhaktipath has worked like sprinkling salt on the wounds. However, after the protests of the traders, now a gap of four feet has been given in between the railings, which has brought relief to the local shopkeepers to a great extent. At the same time, due to less crowd, shopkeeping has reduced by 50 percent. The shopkeepers who used to sell 50 to 60 kg laddus in a day are selling eight to ten kg. The most troubled are those traders who have taken shops on rent by paying huge amount in the form of turban during the widening of Bhaktipath. The rent of many shops ranges from 15 to 20 thousand.
business declined
Prasad businessman Lal ji Modanwal said that due to the sudden decrease in crowd after the Ram Navami fair, the business has also decreased. Hardly 5 to 6 kg laddus are being sold every day. It is becoming difficult to pay the rent of the shop. Jitendra Modanwal said that the crowd has given a shock, but the railing on Bhaktipath has given a bigger shock. Now a gap has been provided in the middle of the railing, which has improved the situation to some extent. Along with the devotees, business has also decreased by 50 percent. Baijnath Modanwal said that as sales are less, Prasad is also being manufactured in less quantity. Where 40 to 50 kg of Prasad used to be sold in a day, now it becomes difficult to sell even 5 to 10 kg of Prasad.
