From Tent To Temple: A Time Travel With Ram Lalla’s Journey
‘Our RamLalla has come’, said Prime Minister, Narendra Modi while addressing the gathering at the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22 January 2024. The most awaited moment of billions of hindu believers has gone through years. According to literary and archaeological sources, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh is the birthplace of Lord Rama. Due to disputing historical reasons, a controversy was created over the land between the two communities.
As Ram is placed back to garbhagriha, BW Businessworold is unfolding the layers of historical events that have taken place in the journey of Ram over the years:
Land Belongs To Whom?
The main conflict between the two communities is about whose worship place was established first on the land and which one of them is legitimate. According to historical traces, Babur’s general, Mir Baqi constructed a mosque at the Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya in 1528.
The ignition to the controversy began when Nirmohis in 1853 claimed that Ram Mandir was destroyed to establish a mosque. Further, the British government which functioned on a ‘Divide and Rule’ policy, fenced the land into two parts where both communities were designated each section.
The fencing of the controversial land further intensified the dispute between the two communities, In 1885 a petitioner filed a lawsuit in Faizabad District Court to form a canopy outside the masjid which was eventually rejected. After a couple of years in 1949, another petitioner filed the case to allow the hindu community to worship the RamLalla where Babri Masjid was built. A resident of Ayodhya from another community urged the court to remove the diety’s idol from the mosque. Ultimately, the government took action and locked the place, but allowed the daily puja.
How It Turned Into A Movement?
With the passing years, the voice among the hindu community to build a temple and take back the land from the mosque increased as Ram is one of their chief deities. Regarding the same, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) formed a separate committee to liberate the Ramjanmabhoomi under the leadership of Lal Krishna Advani. District Judge ordered the locks to be removed to allow Hindus to worship meanwhile Muslims formed a Babri Mosque Action Committee (BMAC) in protest. Soon in 1889, The organisation also founded the temple stone shilanyas which was permitted by then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.
A vision turned into a movement when the National Rath Yatra organised under the leadership of Lal Krishna Advani, aimed to gather immense support for the building of Ram Temple. The Rath Yatra was the instant event that took place after the Mandal Commission, and hence the Rath Yatra movement was considered significant in order to maintain hindu solidarity. The movement went through several villages and towns, from Somnath to Ayodhya.
In December 1992, the group of Karsevak demolished the Babri Masjid which triggered heavy religious riots across the country.
What History Traced?
Amidst all of these disputes, and agitation among the hindu community was because the existence of Lord Rama was doubtful. However, the biggest turning point came in the case when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) surveyed the site and found many traces of temples. But the opposition called these relics fake and had no basis. In 2010, the Allahabad High Court divided the disputed site into three parts; one-third for RamLalla, one-one-third for the Islamic waqf board and one-third was given to Nirmohi Akhara. In 2011, challenging the verdict of Allahabad HC, all three appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Final Judgement
On 9 November 2019, a five-judge bench included the then Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, Justice SA Bobde, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice Ashok Bhushan gave a verdict to transfer the disputed land to the trust formed by the government of India for the building of the temple. Also, the verdict allocated five acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board too. The judgement was highly celebrated across the nation. Finally, on 5 August 2020, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Ram Mandir Temple in Ayodhya which is ready to be consecrated today. The construction of the temple is not only bringing joy to one community but in the longer run it is anticipated to benefit Ayodhya and adjacent cities economically.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Shashank Shrivastava, Student, LL.M (2 Year), Faculty of Law, University of Delhi said, “The Ram Mandir decision and the Pran Pratishtha that we are celebrating and witnessing was a long wait from 1528 to 2019 and reflects a landmark moment in India's legal history, fostering unity and acknowledging cultural heritage. The Supreme Court's measured approach, considering historical evidence and religious sentiments, highlights the importance of upholding the rule of law while respecting diverse beliefs.”
India which shelters diverse belief systems and thoughts, still celebrates the consecration ceremony of RamLalla temple as a national festival irrespective of their religion. Piyush Tiwari, Judiciary Aspirant, said "Regardless of individual beliefs in Hinduism or allegiance to Ram, whether one identifies as an atheist or not, it's time for collective celebration. This momentous occasion, spanning over 500 years, marks a celebration of our shared civilization—a historic milestone destined to resonate for another 1000 years.”
The day will not only be remembered as Pran-PRatishtha of Ram Mandir but also be considered the best day to celebrate the strong social fabric of India.
