Ayodhya, a town in the Uttar Pradesh state of India, is buzzing with busy preparations for the eagerly-awaited opening of a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Ram.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the construction of the temple a key part of his election campaign in 2019. The temple’s grand inauguration ceremony is taking place several months before the upcoming general elections, set for May 2024. Erected on the location where a 16th-century mosque once stood, which was demolished by Hindu activists who claimed it was built on the remains of a Ram temple, the demolition of the mosque resulted in widespread riots.

In 2019, following an 18-year trial focused on determining the legitimate owners of the land, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of the Hindus. This decision cleared the path for the construction of a temple dedicated to Lord Ram.

The city, said to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity, is currently experiencing a significant improvement in its infrastructure, leading to a substantial increase in property prices. The government has reportedly granted more than twelve permits for the construction of new hotels, with approximately $4 billion already invested in enhancing the city’s infrastructure.

More than 8,000 devotees, dignitaries and celebrities, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to travel to Ayodhya on January 22 for the grand opening of a highly significant religious undertaking, which happens to be one of the most costly ventures in India’s recent history.

Approximately 100 private jets are expected to land at the newly inaugurated Ayodhya Airport. Local media also reports that the available jet slots in nearby cities Varanasi and Gorakhpur are fully booked.

The Indian government has incurred an expenditure of approximately 18 billion rupees ($216 million) for the construction of the temple, which was overseen by a trust.

According to local reports, a large number of devotees have caused a high demand for gold and gold-plated statues of Lord Ram and temple replicas in Ayodhya. These items, priced between 30,000 rupees ($361) and 220,000 rupees ($2,647), have quickly sold out.

In preparation for the ceremony, 45 tons of ‘laddoos’ (a traditional Indian sweet) made with pure cow ghee have been readied by confectioners. These laddoos will be presented to the Lord Ram statue on a silver platter and later served to guests at the inauguration. Additionally, Indian celebrity chef Vishnu Manohar will personally travel to Ayodhya to cook ‘halwa,’ another Indian delicacy, in a large cooking cauldron, to be shared with devotees.

Indian media reported that security in the town had been strengthened, with the deployment of anti-terrorist squads, anti-drone technologies, and AI-powered CCTV cameras. According to Praveen Kumar, the inspector-general of Ayodhya police, approximately 1,000 special force personnel had been deployed to ensure security in various capacities.