Ayodhya Ram Mandir- The History of Unprecedented Perseverance

The auspicious occasion of the inauguration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir:

As we all know, the inauguration, Ayodhya Ram Mandir opening date, i.e., the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya, is scheduled between 12.15 pm and 12.45 pm on January 22nd, 2024, presided over by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and joined by UP CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, and president of the Temple trust Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. Over 2000 dignitaries have been invited, and the festivities are set to extend over seven days.

Ramayana, the sacred Hindu epic, states the now-demolished Babri Masjid site is the exact birthplace of lord Rama, the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi. The transcripts of many English travellers point out the presence of an antique Hindu monument.

A vast history precedes this historic event that will be etched permanently in the hearts of millions when the righteous prince of Ayodhya returns to his abode as the Ayodhya Ram Mandir news makes sensational headlines! This Temple is all set to be the centre of spiritual awakening and cultural vibrancy and a symbol of India's rich heritage.

Ayodhya Ram Mandir history-

Let us have a look at the timeline of the events of this glorious and spiritual once-in-a-lifetime glory:

1528

Mir Baqi, general of the Mughal ruler Babur's army, demolished a Mandir at Ramkot, Ayodhya, the birthplace of Ram, and ordered the construction of a Mosque.

1853

Communal riots occurred for the first time at the Babri Masjid's site, led by the Nirmohis, a Hindu sect under the rule of Nawab Wajid Shah of Awadh. They laid a foundation to the point that a Hindu temple had been destroyed to pave the way for the construction of a Mosque.

1859

The Britishers decided to make a partition and installed a fence stating that the Muslims would be praying inside the Mosque and the Hindus could use the outer courtyard area.

1885

Mahant Raghubir Das submitted a plea in January to the Faizabad district court asking for approval for a canopy over Ramchabutra, a raised platform outside the Mosque, and the petition was denied.

1949

A major incident occurred in 1949 wherein the idol of lord Ram was found inside the Mosque. A person named Gopal Singh filed a plea to the court saying that permission should be given for the diety's worship. Simultaneously, another person named Hashim Ansari filed a petition stating that the idol should be removed from the Mosque and it should remain a Muslim shrine. The government decided to lock the place over the sensitive issue of the Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid case, but the priests continued the worship.

1961

The Sunni Central Wakf Board appealed to the Faizabad civil court that the Babri Masjid was the property of the board and that it should be restored to the Muslims.

1980

A committee of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Party (VHP) was formed with the intention of recognizing Ayodhya as the birthplace of Ram and constructing a temple in honour of the lord. The district judge ordered the gates of the Mosque to be opened for Hindus based on a plea by Hari Shankar Dubey, and the Ayodhya court ordered that the Mosque be opened to enable Hindus to offer prayers. Resisting the order, the Babri Mosque Action Committee was formed by the Muslims. In affirmation of the court's order, the government led by Rajiv Gandhi ordered the gates of Babri Masjid to be opened. Only a Hindu priest had the authority to conduct puja on a daily basis before the government's order, and after the approval, all Hindus had access to the site.

1990

L.K.Advani, leading the BJP party then, organized a national Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodha, expressing support for Vishwa Hindu Parishad. A distance of approximately 300 km was covered each day, with rallies spanning across various towns and cities, starting on September 25th, 1990. The then PM of India, V.P. Singh, ordered the arrest of L.K.Advani to Lalu Prasad Yadav, the then CM of Bihar.

1992

Karsevaks, in the presence of Shiv Sena, BJP, and VHP leaders, demolished the Babri Masjid on December 6th, 1992. It led to terrible communal riots, and about 2000 lives were lost.

2002

Near Godhra station in Gujarat, the S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express, where Karsevaks travelled from Ayodhya to Gujarat, was set ablaze. The death of 58 people led to communal riots in Gujarat that claimed more than 1000 lives.

2003

The Archeological Survey of India conducted a detailed survey of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi disputed site and found evidence of a Hindu complex beneath the Mosque. The Muslims condemned the findings, which led to severe disagreements between both parties.

2010

The Allahabad High Court pronounced a judgment dividing the land into three parts: one-third to the Ram Mandir, one-third to the Islamic Waqf Board, and the remaining to Nirmohi Akhara. Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha and Sunni Waqf Board challenged the high court verdict.

2011

The three parties, Ram Lalla Virajman, Sunni Waqf Board, and Nirmohi Akhara, appealed to the Supreme Court against the verdict. Supreme Court gave a stay to the judgment of Allahabad High Court.

2019

Finally, on November 9th, 2019, a five-judge bench led by Ranjan Gogoi, the Chief Justice of India, of the Supreme Court pronounced a verdict to hand over the disputed 2.77 acres of land to a trust established by the Indian government for the construction of Ram Janmabhoomi temple. It also ordered that five acres of land be given to the Sunni Board alternatively at a different location for constructing a Mosque. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Shetra was the trust formed for constructing the Temple, which comprised fifteen members.

2020

Narendra Modi, the PM of India, laid the foundation stone for the temple construction on August 5th by unveiling a plaque and a postal stamp paving the way for the Ayodhya Ram Mandir opening.

The Temple, valued at around 1800 crores, is one of the costliest ventures in India. 4 lakh sq. ft. of carved Rajasthan Bansi Paharpur stone is being used for the super-structure of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Steel or bricks will not be used in the Temple's construction, which is a rare feat. L&T company is taking care of the main structure, while Tata Consultancy will oversee the allied facilities.

The Temple is 360 feet long, 235 feet wide, and 161 feet high. Designed by the chief architect Chandrakant Bhai Sompura, it is built to last for a thousand years. The Temple is built in the Nagara style, following the principles of Vaastu-sastra. The walls depict the life of Rama and his principles. The Garbh Griha is constructed to allow sun rays to fall on the idol of Ram in the form of an infant.

The Temple is three-floored with five domes and six mandaps, consisting of two Ram idols, one original from 1949 and the other a huge one visible even from a long distance. A Mysore-based artist, Yogiraj, has sculpted the 51-inch idol that will be placed in the garba-grih. The 6-ft tall and 5-ft wide bell weighing 2100 kg is specially sourced from Etah. All the windows and doors are made of teak wood, specially sourced. Once the Temple is inaugurated, it expects almost a lakh visitors daily.

The Temple's first and second floors are expected to be completed by December 2024, and the entire carving work will be completed by the end of 2025. The day of the Pran Pratishtha is sure to illuminate millions of hearts with divinity and a sense of righteousness.

From each stone to the sanctum, every inch of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir sings the hymns of lord Rama, and every devotee will experience the magical mystique of his celestial form!

ॐ दाशरथये विद्महे सीतावल्लभाय धीमहि, तन्नो राम प्रचोदयात्॥