.BY ONE matter there are almost 700,000 Hindu temples in India. But for numerous enthusiasts it was the one that carried out not exist-- a monument to mark the apparent native home of Ram, a Hindu the lord-- that mattered the best. On January 22nd their yearning will certainly come to a side when Narendra Modi, the prime minister, venerates the Ram mandir, a huge temple in the northern urban area of Ayodhya. Some 8,000 individuals will join the service, consisting of credit ratings of representatives coming from Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Gathering (BJP) and dignitaries from 55 countries. Why is the holy place so vital?