India, Oct. 21 -- Human beings have traditionally been regarded as rational creatures who weigh every decision on the scales of profit and loss. Indian society, however, has quietly challenged this assumption for centuries. Markets flourished in temple courtyards, trade prospered in the shadow of fairs and pilgrimage centres, and economies thrived alongside religion on riverbanks. The ghats of Kashi, the narrow lanes of Mathura and the banks of the Saryu in Ayodhya were not merely places of worship; they were also economic centres of their time.

Uttar Pradesh is now reviving this forgotten tradition in a new language. Underlying this approach is Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's belief that faith is not an economic burden but a form of ca...