AYODHYA: Slaughtering of animals for meat is banned in Ayodhya , one of the most famous Hindu religious towns. Meat -- of any kind, cooked or raw -- is neither sold here nor served even in weddings and parties. However, once a year the local civic body lifts the ban for Muslims' festival Bakrid . This year too, the ban has been lifted, though there is no official order."Everything happens with a great understanding between the two communities," says a civic official. "Amid all the controversies over meat and beef, the temple town presents the best example of religious tolerance and respect to religious sentiments of the other community," he adds."In fact, this system was so spontaneous that nobody had even noticed it earlier. But, now in the era of religious intolerance when people are being attacked and killed over food habit, Ayodhya leads by example. No Hindu religious leader or any mahant have ever objected to the 'qurbani' ritual being carried out by hundreds of Muslims in Ayodhya," says Jamal Akhtar , a local resident.Talking to TOI, Haji Asad Ahmad, a corporator of Ayodhya Municipal Board , says, "We have been observing 'qurbani' in Ayodhya always. Although animal slaughter is banned here, Muslim families offer qurbani on Bakrid without any fear."Ayodhya Municipal Board chairman Radhey Shyam Guptam says: "Slaughtering is not allowed within the periphery of 'Panch Kosi' in Ayodhya, but on Bakrid, Muslims offer qurbani in their houses. One just has to take care that there is no slaughter in public places. Otherwise, there is no objection to 'qurbani' inside houses." Sadiq Ali , a local Muslim leader, who lives in his ancestral house in Ayodhya, adjacent to Babri Masjid premises, says: "We perform 'qurbani' in premises of our house, we are living here since ages, there has never been any objection from any Hindu religious leader. Instead, they greet us with blessings." Mahant Yugal Kishore Sharan Shastry , priest of Saryu Kunj temple, adjacent to Babri Masjid premises, said: "Qurbani is the most important ritual of Baqrid. If our Muslim brothers are observing it within the premises of their houses then why should anybody object to it? This shows our honest tolerance for religious sentiments of Muslim community."