Ayodhya: Ayodhya has been living with uncertainty for over 70 years, hence the Chief Justice's offer to mediate into an amicable out-of-court settlement doesn't bring much hope or cheer.
Less than a kilometre from the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Mosque site, the bangles, idols, bookshop owners show little enthusiasm when we ask for their reactions. Seventy-year-old Bal Krishan Trivedi has been running a bookshop of religious books for three generations. Today is no different.
Both he and his son Ram Kishore are trying to increase their business by introducing new books on Lord Ram and the history of Ayodhya. Bal Krishan, however, is more despondent than his son. He tells News18 that any out of court settlement would mean a tug-of-war between various parties - 'Bahar to kitne saalon se ho raha hai, qanoon bana kar nyayalay se hoga, court ke aadesh se hoga, tab manya hoga, bahar koi kuch kahega' (The only solution is through a Court order, that will be binding on one and all).
Forty-year-old Ram Kishore says that both temple and development can co-exist. A model, he feels, the BJP has created and is in the best position to deliver on the promise of Ram Temple.
He says, "Janta chahti hai Vikas bhi ho aur Ram Mandir ka nirman bhi Hona chahiye. Bahumat ka respect karein. Sab Sambhav hai, qanoon bana kar karein (People want them to deliver on development, along with the construction of the Ram Temple, they should respect the mandate)."
With the annointment of Yogi Adityanath, Hindutva poster boy with the legacy of Ram Temple movement, as the Chief Minister, there is growing anticipation of delivery. A priest of a local temple said that the mandate is for the construction of the Ram temple and it's high time the BJP should respect this as 'Lok laj' (public sentiments).
A member of the Nirmohi Akhara, which had in 1959 filed a case and sought permission again to conduct prayers, Sitaram Das welcomes the Court's move.
Das says, "We tried in 2010 for this solution, there shouldn't be any political interference, Prachand bahumat di hai, Modi legislation layein Parliament mein (The state has given them an overwhelming mandate, Modi should construct the Ram Temple by bringing in a legislation in Parliament)."
Not just the Hindus, but most Muslims too are skeptical of any solution in sight. Sixty-year-old Salim, who lived through the riots post the demolition, says it's the outsiders who disrupt the communal harmony in Ayodhya.
"This mediation offer by CJI won't yield results, only court's order will be binding, rest we won't agree on." Dismissing it Salim adds: "Kabhi nahin ho payega bahar mein."
Having lived through multiple such offers of solution, Salim and Bal Krishan are united in despair. But for Virendra Singh, a 24-year-old graduate, life isn't just about Ram Temple. "I want to get basic facilities in my life. I want clean air and drinking water, I want job, I have a Ram Temple in my house," he says.
Talks of a Ramayana Museum, for which the previous Akhilesh Yadav government sanctioned land, is seen as a job creating avenue for many like Virendra Singh. Miles away, Ayodhya isn't in any impatient hurry, for they have learned to live with it.
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