Shri Rama Returns An Account of Ayodha Struggle and Justice OVERVIEW Introduction 1. The Significance of the Historic Moment in the Words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 1 2. The Timeline of a Relentless Struggle for Ram Temple 3 3. The Truth Beneath the Ground Reveals the Rich Cultural Heritage of Ram Janmabhoomi 6 4. They Too Visited Ayodhya – Facts Concealed by the Mainstream Media 10 5. Manthras Among Intellectuals – Role Played By Vested Parties In Stalling The Ram Mandir 15 6. How Characters from the Ramayana Give us the Timeless Essence of Life 19 7. Ramayana – The Epic That Connects the Vast Geography of India 22 8. How the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is Relevant Beyond India 26 INTRODUCTION ugust 5, 2020 is not just another date for India. The bhoomi pujan at Ayodhya has marked the peaceful struggle of almost Afive centuries to a grand closure. PM Modi himself explained the importance of the moment when he said, “Rama 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.” In this comprehensive coverage to mark that historic moment, we delve with many aspects of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. They together may perhaps tell you why the whole struggle is about the national identity of Bharat. The relevance of Rama and other characters that make the story ageless, the amazing geographical spread that Ramayana enjoys, the historical facts that tell the existence of grand temple at Lord Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya, historic personalities who vouched for the reverence of the place, the act of some historians who tried to distort the facts… Here we covered them all. Rama Returns| An Account of Ayodha Struggle and Justice | 4 The Significance of the Historic Moment in the Words of 1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi With Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the shilanyas puja and laying the stones for the grand Rama Temple at Ayodhya, nearly five centuries of struggle saw a fruitful, fulfilling concluding moment. The words PM Modi spoke on the occasion captured the spirit of the accomplishment. Here are the key things he said in his long speech. 1. A grand temple will now be built for our Rama Lalla who had been staying in a tent for decades. The cycle of breaking and building again that had been going for years comes to an end. 2. The way boatmen to tribals helped Lord Rama, the way children helped Lord Krishna lift Govardhan mountain, similarly, with everyone’s efforts temple construction will be completed. 3. Rama 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 4. Despite efforts to eradicate existence of Lord Rama he still lives in our heart. Rama is everywhere, Rama belongs to all. 5. The call ‘Jai SiyaRama’is resonating not only in the city of Lord Rama but throughout the world today. 6. The message of Lord Rama is to let no one be sad or deprived. Let no one remain poor, let every form of life be well taken care of. We need ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas’ to ensure ‘Sabka Vikas’. Rama Returns| An Account of Ayodha Struggle and Justice | 1 7. When India was colonised, there wasn’t a corner of India which did not sacrifice for the purpose of freedom, till we finally got it in 1947. Similarly, for justice to Lord Rama, hundreds of thousands of people sacrificed and contributed to ensure that we see this day today. 8. Different versions of Ramayana exist in different regions and in languages across the country. Even beyond India, Lord Rama is alive in many cultures. Indonesia, which is the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has four different versions of Ramayana, and is a country where Lord Rama is still worshipped with divinity. You can find the versions of Ramayana in Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and even Iran and China. 9. Lord Rama and the grand temple that will be constructed here will inspire humanity in many centuries to come. Rama Returns| An Account of Ayodha Struggle and Justice | 2 2 The Timeline of a Relentless Struggle for Ram Temple This timeframe covers the invasion, the relentless pursuit of worshippers to reclaim the site, the convergence of many faiths, the archaeological excavations that revealed many facts, and the profound legal arguments put forth by Lord Rama’s worshippers. The struggle for the temple at the birthplace of Rama has gone on for nearly 500 years. This timeframe covers the invasion, the relentless pursuit of worshippers to reclaim the site, the convergence of many faiths, the archaeological excavations that revealed many facts, and the profound legal arguments put forth by Lord Rama’s worshippers. At a time when the shilanyas to rebuild the temple is finally seeing the light of day, we take you through the important dates and events that tell the story of the long struggle that has finally come to a culmination. 1528 1608 1627 Mir Baqi, commander of European traveller British royal emissary Mughal emperor Babur William Finch visits Thomas Erbert visits The Invasion vandalises Ram Mandir, Ayodhya; notes India, notes reverence and puts a masjid in continued reverence for Ayodhya among place among Hindus on the Hindus site and their presence 1856-57 1855 1766 1717 A railing was set up by A clash at Hanuman Austrian Jesuit Joseph Sawai Jai Singh, ruler Britishers to bifurcate Garhi; reference to Tieffenthaler visits of Amer, acquires the inner and outer Janamsthan come up Awadh, notes Hindus the land of the Ram courtyard as places of once again in the bid to worshipping a vedi within Janamsthan in Ayodhya worship between the quell the deadly clashes the Masjid and Muslims two communities not offering namaz 1858 1882 1885 Fakir Singh Khalsa, Mohammad Asghar files Mahant Raghubir Das Preservation a Nihang, conducts plea in Faizabad District appeals for permission havan and puja inside Court, claims rent for to build a canopy outside of Faith Janamsthan, erects the use of Chabutara disputed structure in symbol of Sri Bhagwan inside the complex; Faizabad District Court; in the premises plea dismissed by court plea is rejected 1934 Especially in the midst of battle, when it would Clashes take place, be easy to release the arrow that takes a life. Deputy Collector reports significant damage to That’s when you have to be absolutely sure! structure Rama Returns| An Account of Ayodha Struggle and Justice | 3 1949 1949 1950 Idols of Ram Lalla are KK Nair, the Gopal Simla Visharad files Rise of a found under central district magistrate suit in Faizabad District dome outside the of Faizabad, refuses to Court for right to worship mass remove Hindu idols from the Ram Lalla; Paramahansa disputed structure but temple. Jawaharlal Nehru Prime Minister Nehru Ramachandra Das files suit movement and Uttar Pradesh Chief to keep idols in there and orders the removal of Minister GB Pant suspend continue worship idols from the site KK Nair JULY 21, 1984 1983 1961 1959 Ram Janmabhoomi The Vishwa Hindu UP Sunni Central Waqf Nirmohi Akhara Yajna Samiti formed; Parishad (VHP) starts Board files a suit, claims files a suit, seeking Mahant Avaidyanath nationwide movement ownership of the site possession of the made its President for construction of disputed site temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya FEB 1, 1986 1986 AUG 14, 1989 NOV 1989 Local court orders state Muslims set up the Allahabad High Court VHP carries out government of the time Babri Masjid Action orders maintenance of Shilanyas ceremony in to open site for Hindu Committee status quo in respect of Ayodhya and the first worshippers the disputed structure, stone of the planned starts hearing case Ram temple is put in place SEP 1990 BJP leader LK Advani starts Rath Yatra from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya. Advani gets arrested in Bihar during the Yatra NOV 1990 MAY 1991 DEC 6, 1992 On the orders of the Leftist Historians on behalf of Babri Masjid Action The disputed then Chief Minister Committee try to undermine the Hindu case through structure is Mulayam Singh Yadav, their faulty “Report to the Nation” brought down U.P. Police opens fire at Karsevaks, killing many APRIL 3, 1993 1993 1993 ‘Acquisition of Certain Various writ petitions, The Area at Ayodhya Act’ including one by passed to acquire Ismail Faruqui, filed Final Lap land by Centre in the in Allahabad HC disputed area challenging various aspects of the Act APR 2002 OCT 24, 1994 1993 Allahabad HC SC passes judgment in Supreme Court begins hearing historic Ismail Faruqui exercising its to determine the case; says mosque not jurisdiction under ownership of integral to Islam Article 139A transfers the disputed site writ petitions pending in the High Court MAR 13, 2003 SEP 30, 2010 MAY 9, 2011 ‘SC says in the Aslam HC, in a 2:1 majority, SC stays HC verdict on alias Bhure case that no rules three-way division Ayodhya land dispute religious activity of any of disputed area nature is to be allowed between Sunni Waqf at the acquired land Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla MAR 21, 2017 AUG 7, 2017 FEB 8, 2018 JUL 20, 2018 SEP 27, 2018 CJI JS Khehar suggests SC constitutes three- SC starts hearing the SC reserves verdict SC declines to refer the out-of-court settlement judge bench to hear civil appeals case to a five-judge 2017 among rival parties pleas challenging 1994 Constitution bench.