Asutosh Singh, 41, lost his job as a business manager in a private firm in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I saw the toughest of times with no income, with even close relatives turning me away,” he says. His wife, who works in a school, has been supporting the family.
He is now hopeful of a substantial income, after sensing a tourism opportunity in his hometown, Ayodhya, with the opening of the Ram temple in January. “Now, I can support my family like I used to, with three rooms in my house certified under the homestay concept,” he says, adding that many people are considering it a potentially good source of income. His home is located less than 500 metres away from the temple.
Mr. Singh is among the few hundred residents of Ayodhya who have registered a portion of their house under the homestay concept over the last couple of months, and are expecting to make a handsome income as the Ram temple nears completion. “I am currently earning ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 a month, but that will increase after January 22 [after the consecration],” Mr. Singh says.
