.BY ONE matter there are practically 700,000 Hindu temples in India. But for numerous supporters it was the one that did certainly not exist-- a monument to note the plausible birthplace of Ram, a Hindu god-- that mattered the most. On January 22nd their yearning will certainly concern a side when Narendra Modi, the head of state, consecrates the Ram mandir, a grand temple in the northern city of Ayodhya. Some 8,000 individuals will attend the event, featuring credit ratings of officials coming from Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as very important people from 55 countries. Why is the temple therefore vital?