Ayodhya Conflict: Past and Present - Ayodhya Nagri is all decked up to welcome Lord Ram on 22nd January 2024. Everyone is eagerly waiting to witness Lord Ram adorning the magnificent Ram Mandir. Although it is not currently possible for everyone to experience this historic moment, people are widely seen showcasing their devotion by bringing and admiring Ram Mandir idols at home.
Ram Mandir is not a mere building or a monument. Rather it's a testament to decades of struggle, courage, and patience of hundreds of individuals who participated in bringing it to life today.
This article will guide you through the history of Ram Mandir, highlighting everything that you must know about this historic monument.
A Journey through Ayodhya Dispute
The Ayodhya dispute first hit the courts in the 19th century. However, things escalated when an idol of Lord Ram was placed in the central dome of the mosque in the year 1949. Nonetheless, it was in the 1980s when the deity himself became a part of the overall dispute.
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During the final stages of the case in the Indian High Court, advocate Parasaran, on behalf of the Ram Lalla Virjman and the deemed birthplace, Ram Janamsthan argued that the entire disputed land belongs to the deity, that is Lord Ram. Let’s learn more about this journey in detail in this blog.
The Beginnings
It all began in January 1885, when Raghubar Das, the mahant of Nirmohi Akhara (a group of Hindu ascetics devoted to Lord Ram) filed a suit against the administration of Faizabad, the district wherein Ayodhya is situated.
The suit alleged to restrain the administration from interfering in the construction of the temple over a platform in the outer courtyard of Babri Masjid as this spot was the birthplace of Ram.
However, the court dismissed his plea citing that constructing a temple would possibly lead to communal disharmony and disturbance. A similar appeal proposed by Das in 1886 before the district judge was also dismissed stating the same reason. But this was not it. The district judge FEA Chamierb did address the fact that Babar woefully built a mosque over a sacred land of Hindus.
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Court Proceedings
Over the decades, there was a constant discord between the two religious groups i.e., the Hindus and the Muslims. Which party should have control over the site became a debatable topic.
However, in 2010, the Allahabad High Court ruled out that the disputed land of 2.77 acres would be divided into three equal parts the Muslim community, the Hindu community, and the Nirmohi Akhara sect. The authority of the main disputed section of the land (over which the mosque was built) was handed over to the Hindus.
But unfortunately, this didn’t turn out to be the final verdict. The ruling was suspended by the Supreme Court in 2011 after both the parties (Hindus & Muslims) appealed against it.
Final Verdict
Later, in the November 2019 verdict, an Archaeological Survey of India report was presented as evidence dictating that the remains of an old, non-Islamic building were found beneath the demolished Babri Mosque.
The verdict also proposed that the entire disputed land should be given to the Hindus for the construction of the Ram Mandir, and a separate piece of land should be provided to the Muslims to build a mosque.
This final verdict marked the settlement of the case and the construction of Ram Mandir.
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About the Ram Lalla Idol
As mentioned above, originally a Ram Lalla murti was placed under the dome of Babri Masjid by priest Abhiram Da, Sadhu of Nirmohi Akhara. However, this turned out to be a hideous act that even the Central and State governments were against of. Thereupon, the government decided to remove the murti in order to maintain communal harmony among the two religious groups.
However, they took their steps back when K.K. Nayar, the District Magistrate of Faizabad warned the government about the catastrophic outcome of this move. Taking note of Nayar’s concern, the Murtis weren’t removed and remained within the premises of the Babri Masjid, although the compound was locked to refrain people from entering.
Nonetheless, the good news is that the newly constructed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will have two murtis installed - one will be the original Ram Lalla murti that was placed in 1949. The other will be the one sculpted by the famous sculptor Arun Yogiraj. This will be a 51-inches tall idol depicting Lord Ram in the form of a five-year-old child.
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Takeaway
This was a brief history of the iconic Ram Mandir annotating all the important events and scenarios. Considering the history of events, it's evident that the journey to building Ram Mandir was not easy. Nonetheless, we have successfully paved our way to the present day where the entire India awaits the divine presence of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.
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