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Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

 

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

As the highly anticipated opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples approaches in Ayodhya, a wave of opulence and devotion has gripped the city. Private jet parking lots near Ayodhya are fully booked, and shops are experiencing a surge in demand for gold-plated idols as affluent devotees prepare for the exclusive invite-only event.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business magnate Mukesh Ambani are among the approximately 8,000 attendees expected at Monday's inauguration ceremony for the Ram Temple. Devotees believe the temple is constructed on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a revered Hindu deity.

The construction of the temple, initiated after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019, fulfills a significant campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. This milestone comes more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque at the same site, triggering deadly riots.

Organized by the trust responsible for building the temple, the opening ceremony precedes a national election where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is anticipated to emerge victorious. The event is set to draw India's political and social elite, turning attendance into a coveted status symbol.

Rajan Mehra, CEO of luxury charter service Club One Air, noted the rising demand for private jets, with his fleet, including the prestigious Dassault Falcon 2000, fully booked for multiple trips. Approximately 100 private jets are expected to descend on Ayodhya airport, filling it to capacity, with additional demand at airports in Varanasi and Gorakhpur.

While Mehra did not disclose charter prices, JetSetGo lists a Mumbai-Gorakhpur return flight on a Falcon 2000 jet for about $74,000 with nine passengers on board.

The opening ceremony is not only impacting transportation but also boosting the business of jewellers and gold traders. Gold and gold-plated statues of Lord Ram and temple replicas, priced between 30,000 ($361) and 220,000 rupees ($2,647), are flying off the shelves, some even imported from Thailand.

The economic impact of the temple's inauguration is already evident, with Ayodhya poised to become a pilgrimage hotspot for India's 1.1 billion Hindus. Property prices have surged, and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan recently invested in a $1.7 million plot as part of the House of Abhinandan Lodha luxury development, which includes a spa and a pool.

Abhinandan Lodha, Chairman of House of Abhinandan Lodha, highlighted the unique demand for the project, attributing it to people's emotional attachment to being part of the Ayodhya story and their belief in the city's economic prosperity.

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