THE FINAL CELEBRATIONS AFTER 71 YEARS
There was an atmosphere of huge tension and confrontation over the Ayodhya land issue. It has been 71 years since the first violence broke out over the construction of Babri Masjid on the disputed land. The final inauguration has taken place on the splendid afternoon of 5th August 2020 in the form of Ram Janambhoomi Ayodhya Puja. A 40-kg silver brick, which will symbolize the beginning of the construction – is at the heart of today’s ceremonies. It has been a long journey to reach its final outcome. “India is emotional as decades of wait has ended. Crores won’t believe that they have seen this day in our lifetime. For years, our Ram Lalla (infant Lord Ram) lived beneath a tent, now he will reside in a grand temple built by Ram bhakts. Today, Ram Janambhoomi has been liberated,” said PM Modi, who began his address at the ceremony.
What happened in the history that led to this struggle?
The chronology of the event started in 1528 when Mir Baqi, the commander of the Mughal emperor Babur, constructed the Babri Masjid, a three-domed mosque built in Jaunpuri style, in Ayodhya.
In 1853, the Hindus, for the first time, demanded access to the land for which they asked the Faizabad District Administration to have the claim. The court gave permission to access the outer courtyard to Hindus as a result.
In 1855, Mahant Raghubir Das of Nirmohi Akhara files asked the Faizabad District Magistrate to build a temple in the vicinity of the Babri Masjid. However, the plea was refused him.
The first spark of struggle started in 1949 when the idols of Lord Ram were mysteriously found in the mosque. The clash took place when the Muslims claimed that the idols were created by the Hindu workers at the time of construction of the temple as they wanted to worship in the place. However, the Hindus claimed that the Masjid was built after breaking down the Ram temple. Thus, for the first time, the violence broke out on the issue due to which the administration locked the premises with the idols inside.
Again in 1950, a plea was filed in the Faizabad Court by Gopal Visharad and Ramachandra Das who demanded the access to worship the idols. Because the clash and communal tensions were going on, the court and the administration decided to put up a fence to allow both the communities to worship in the same area.
Soon after, in 1959, the Nirmohi Akhara filed a plea again to seek possession of the disputed land. As a result, within two years, i.e., in 1961, the Central Sunni Waqf Board of U.P., decided to move the court to seek permission to remove the idols placed in the mosque, which will end the dispute. However, the plea was rejected.
The court plea continued for nearly two to three decades. So, in 1986, the Faizabad court allowed Hindus to worship the idols with some restrictions. The Hindus were not allowed to perform any other ritual except to offer darshan and no other parties were allowed.
When the Rajiv Gandhi government came to power in 1989, it allowed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to perform puja near the disputed site.
The heated tensions started in 1990 when Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists tried to demolish the Mosques and partially damaged the mosques as a result. Thus, the contemporary Prime Minister of India, Chandra Shekhar, tried to arbitrate the dispute through negotiation but failed.
It was on December 6, 1992, when the historical national communal riots took its par and claimed nearly 2000 lives in the clash. The disputed Babri Masjid was razed by Hindu Activists and were supported by the Hindu Parishad, Shiv Sena and the Bhartiya Janta Party. Because of this clash, a commission was set up after 10 days, named as Librahan Ayodhya Commission for Inquiry, also known as Librahan Commission, to investigate the dispute. The then retired High Court judge, Judge M.S. Liberhan, was appointed to look into the case, as ordered by Indian Home Union Ministry.
In 1993, the P.V. Narasimha Rao government acquired around 67 acres of land adjoining the disputed site. The Supreme Court upheld the acquisition in its Dr Ismail Faruqui judgment.
After nine years of the Ismail judgment, in 2002, the Allahabad High Court commenced the hearing of all the title suits and ordered the Archaeological Survey of India to investigate whether any excavations were found at the disputed site related to the temple. In August 2003, the ASI submitted its report which stated that the remains of a large structure existed before the construction of the Babri Masjid, based on the stone columns and pillars which represented the Hindu, Buddhist or Jaina elements. This report was said to be challenged by the All India Muslim Law Board.
In 2009, the Librahan Commission submitted its report which blamed a politician from the Bhartiya Janta Party for the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
As a result, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, in July 2010, first suggested all the parties to resolve the issue through a family discussion. However, no party seemed interested. So, after two months, R C Tripathi filed a suit in the High Court to defer pronouncement of the verdict which was refused by the High Court. He moved to Supreme Court to challenge the High Court order but the bench of Altamas Kabir and A K Patnaik refused to hear the case and then the matter was referred to another bench.
Therefore, between September and December 2010, the Allahabad High Court gave historic judgement that the disputed land be divided into three part: one-third part goes to Ram Lalla, one-third to the Islamic Waqf Board and the remaining third to the Nirmohi Akhara. In December 2010 only, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha and Sunni Waqf Boardchallenged the Allahabad High Court’s judgement in the Supreme Court.
In 2011, the Supreme Court stayed with the judgement of Allahabad High Court on the splitting of the disputed land and states that the status quo remains the same.
In 2015, again, the Vishwa Hindu Parishaddeclared to collect stones for the construction of the Ram Mandirat disputed land of Babri-Masjid. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said that the Government of India under Modi given green signal on the construction of the temple.
The Uttar Pradesh government under Akhilesh Yadav also said that it would not allow the arrival of the stones in Ayodhya for the construction of the Ram Mandir because as that would lead to communal tension. In 2017, the Supreme Court said that the charges against Advani and other leaders could not be dropped under any situation and the case cannot be revived. In the same month in 2017, it also stated that the demolition issue was sensitive and could not be resolved without the unification. Also, it was believed that the politicians like L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti were the main rulers of the conspiracy.
In 2018, the Supreme Court started hearing the civil appeals and declined to refer the case to a five-judge Constitution bench.
In 2019, a five-judge bench was constituted by the Supreme Court and was headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and other justices– S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud. However, Justice U U Lalit withdraws himself from the bench. A mediation committee, led by former Supreme Court judge, Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla, failed to draw a consensus and court hearing commenced.
On October 2019, the final hearing of the Supreme Court ended and the bench reserved the final judgment. On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement in the disputed case and granted 2.77 acres of disputed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla, the possession to be with the Central Government receiver. It also directed Central and the UP Government to allot 5-acre land to the Muslims at a prominent place for building a mosque.
On February 5, 2020, the Union Cabinet decided to set up a Trust for the construction of the Ram Temple, named as Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced in Lok Sabha the setup of a trust in Ayodhya to maintain the sanctity and construction of the temple and keep in mind the need of the devotees.
On August 3, 2020, the countdown for the Bhoomi Pujan for the construction of the Ram Temple began. The Ayodhya District Magistrate, Anuj Kumar Jha, handed over the five-acre land to the Sunni Waqf Board in Faizabad, in lieu of the case of Babri Mosque.
On August 4, 2020, the ‘Ramarcha Puja’ began in Ayodhya and the area was decorated with saffron marigolds. On August 5, the grand ceremony day, the invitees of the ceremony are given a silver coin as a Prasad in the Bhumi Pujan.
Over 1.25 lakh laddoos, called ‘Raghupati laddoos’ are to be distributed to guests as well as residents of the Ayodhya and others on August 5. A total of 175 people have been invited to the Sri Ram Temple Trust for bhumi Pujan, including about 135 saints who will come from different parts of the country. There is a code on every invitation card, which is designed for security. The Prime Minister, visited the iconic Hanumangarhi temple earlier in the day, also addressed the event and emphasised that the centuries long wait is finally over while adding that “India is creating a golden chapter in Ayodhya”. Beginning his speech by chanting ‘Jai Siya Ram’, PM Modi said that the Ram temple will reflect the rich heritage of Indian culture and “it will inspire the entire humanity till eternity”.
Liberation of Ram Lalla
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 5th August laid the first brick made of silver of Temple in Ayodhya after a glittering ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ ceremony.
The prime minister laid a silver brick to mark the symbolic construction of the Ram Temple and PM Modi compared the “Bhoomi Pujan’ with India’s Independence Day, saying that the Ram Janmabhoomi has been liberated.
Here are some key highlights of the Bhoomi Poojan Ceremony of Ram Lalla Temple:
- Prime Minister Modi said, Ram Janmabhoomi has got freedom today. Like August 15 is Independence Day for the country, today holds a similar significance for crores of those who devoted their lives for the cause of Ram temple.
- A grand temple will now be built for our Ram Lalla who had been staying in a tent and Ram Janmabhoomi breaks free of the cycle of breaking and getting built again – that had been going on for centuries.
- Prime Minister Modi said, “It is my good fortune that I was invited to witness this historical moment… From Kanyakumari to Kshirbhavani, from Koteshwar to Kamakhya, from Jagannath to Kedarnath, Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath…today entire country is immersed in Lord Ram”.
- Lord Rama made social harmony the cornerstone of his rule. He learned from Guru Vashistha, Motherhood from Shabari, Cooperation with Lord Hanuman and Vanvasi brothers, and gained trust from the subjects. He also gladly accepted the importance of a squirrel.
- Ram Mandir will become the modern symbol of our traditions. It’ll become a symbol of our devotion, our national sentiment. This temple will also symbolise the power of collective resolution of crores of people. It will keep inspiring the future generations.
- The construction of the grand Ram Temple, not only will the grandeur of Ayodhya increase but the entire economy of the region will also change. New opportunities will be created in every field, opportunities will also increase in every field in the region.
- Prime Minister Modi said, “I believe it will inspire the entire humanity till eternity.”
- Ram Temple will become the modern symbol of our traditions. It’ll become a symbol of our devotion, our national sentiment. This temple will also symbolise the power of collective resolution of crores of people. It will keep inspiring the future generations.
- Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to all citizens of this nation, Indian diaspora across the world and all the devotees of Lord Rama on today’s pious occasion.
- The event started with Hanuman Arti which was stated of a great Significance by Prime Minister Modi
- Prime Minister Modi did “Sashtangpranam” in Front of Lord Rama. It is an old Indian tradition of worshiping God by lying down entirely.
- Many other popular faces such as Yogi Aditya Nath, Mohan Bhagwat and Uma Bharti attended the event.
- The Sculpture of Lord Rama was made in Karnataka and it took 6 months for making it.
- Prime Minister Modi also introduced Dak Tickets/Post office tickets for Ram Janambhoomi Inauguration.
Ram’s message for all of us is to move ahead — must ensure sabkasaath, sabkavishwas, says PM Modi in his speech. Remembering the sacrifices made in the struggle, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat remembered LK Advani and said many are present in spirit at the ceremony. Calling it an “auspicious day,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister hailed the achievements of PM Modi. “This marks the end of the struggle of decades. A journey of over 500 years has been ratified by the Indian judiciary and constitution,” he said. Ahead of the ceremony, Ayodhya has been decked up. The city has been painted yellow – an auspicious colour of knowledge and learning. On Tuesday, prayers were offered to the nishan (flag) of Lord Hanuman, revered as the protector of the city. Starting Tuesday, all local temples started a continuous Akhand Ramayan recitation with temples and homes being lit as in Diwali. The same will continue August 5 night.
