India, July 13 -- Slats of early summer light fall on Sushila Devi's face as she sprints up the deserted, barricade-lined path to the Ram Temple. Having arrived a few hours ago from Basti, she is already late for the morning darshan. The guest house where her family of five is staying for Rs.1,400 a night had no hot water early, and her grime-coated young children needed the mandatory wash before their date with divinity.

It's the family's first outing at the holy shrine, and the list of temples to take blessings from is long. Money is tight, but the darshan is free, and her faith strong. Children in tow, Devi scampers past triangular piles of ladoos peeking from half-shuttered shops. "I am blessed that I got to see Bhagwan Ram's birthpl...