The Supreme Court’s decision to construct Ram Mandir will be restricted to just building a brick and mortar structure devoid of any transcendence and connection with Lord Ram if Ayodhya continues to be built on the lines of most pilgrim centres in India. Unfortunately, the most pious pilgrim centres have turned into the most popular tourist destinations, bringing in consumerism, market, and hedonism; the very factors these pilgrim places intend their pilgrims to refrain from. The real essence of a pilgrim destination is to enlighten the devotee with the truth, help him break the bondages of attachments, and fortify his mind and body with peace and internal happiness. This requires the tourists to connect with the deity and the energies of that pilgrimage centre. But while tourists get busy indulging in the pleasures of VIP passes, offerings, prasad, selfies, adventure, accommodation, food, luxury, and rituals, the pilgrim centres get busy entertaining and filching guests, overall alleviating the sacredness and sanctity of that place.

Ayodhya soon can be stereotyped into one of those popular tourist destinations with resorts, pandits, shops, and restaurants force-feeding their products and services to the tourists if the focus of this sacred place is limited to just one temple. Ayodhya with its immense cultural legacy should be transformed into a new age pilgrim centre that becomes a seat for knowledge, research, tranquillity, and cultural extravaganza. 

Ayodhya, as described in Ramayan, was a well flourishing capital endowed with values, highest principles, ideals, prosperity and peace. Alas! The city that once was known for its magnificent town planning and beautiful ponds now finds most of its ponds dry, polluted, littered, and confiscated by land mafias.

There are many historical and culturally significant places related to Lord Ram’s life other than Ram Janmbhoomi like Saptsagar where coronation ceremony of Lord Ram took place, Brihaspati Kund where Lord Ram worshipped Lord Brihaspati, Ganesh Kund and nearly dozens of ponds and reservoirs are now in abominable condition. Reclaiming these places of historical significance and transforming them into beautiful cultural spots will not only invite tourists but even allow biodiversity to flourish and proliferate. Besides, beautifying the topography of the city, the reservoirs can act as important rainwater harvesting centres for the city.

Ram’s life cannot be completed without the mention of his revered teacher, Gurudev Vashishth who is one of the seven highly regarded rishis (Saptarishis) of India. Gurudev Vashishth imparted the knowledge of secrets of the universe to Lord Ram which shaped him into an astute warrior full of valour, knowledge, and compassion. An interactive museum which incorporates artificial intelligence to imbibe the teachings of Gurudev Vashishth in an easy to understand multi-sensorial format can be enlightening and fun for children as well as adults to acquaint themselves to the ancient Indian literature.

Another innovative concept to transform Ayodhya into a knowledge-based tourist destination is a live-in library where one not only can spend an entire day reading and enjoying sumptuous food at the cafeteria but even relax and sleep. This 24-hour library can be the largest encyclopaedia to Indian as well as world history and literature. This kind of library encourages and inspires young and old to delve into the knowledge pool of culture, literature, history and sciences in natural and avant-garde environs. Besides tourism, a government-sponsored residential school following the pattern of the gurukul teaching methodology should be build whose curriculum blends ancient Indian sciences along with the modern curriculum. Students of all religion, caste and creed should be allowed to study in this school. Thus, Ayodhya can be metamorphosed into a modern time learning centre.

The vision to make Ayodhya the modern pilgrim centre is incomplete without making it an eco-friendly and a sustainable city. Strict anti-litter laws, a ban on single-use plastic, modern waste collection, segregation and recycling technology and an increase in the green cover of the city should be made mandatory. The topography of new Ayodhya consisting of serene ponds and beautiful Saraya river should not be cluttered with haphazard hotels, buildings and constructions. The open space to construction ratio should be planned with landscape architects, designers, engineers and environmentalists. The transformation of Ayodhya into modern pilgrim centre should be undertaken under the expertise and guidance of experts and not with real estate, land mafia lobbies conspiring with the government agencies.

The pomp and glory of the most magnificent capital of Khosla kingdom, Ayodhya can be revived with vision, strategy, creativity and inclusiveness adopted by the bureaucracy over jingoism, xenophobia and anachronism. Till then, not just Hindu pilgrims but tourists across the globe get little to rejoice as all they shall only see yet another pilgrim centre being shaped with the cacophony of concretisation arising out of greed camouflaging under the faith.