January 22 is the second Diwali for Indians and all Lord Ram devotees. This day will be celebrated every year in the future. Here is a glance at the history of the Ram Mandir, which dates back 500 years, as the nation gets ready for the “Pran Prathistha” ceremony that will take place at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya today.
Both the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, are scheduled to be present at the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir, which will take place in the holy town of Ayodhya today.
The events that led to the controversy surrounding the Ayodhya Ram Mandir may be traced back to the year 1853, when religious rioting broke out at the location of the Babri Masjid. The site, which was built in 1528 by the Mughal emperor Babar, became a focal point of conflict when the Nirmohis, a Hindu sect, claimed that a Hindu mandir that had been razed during Babur’s reign was located there. Muslims were granted access to the mosque as a result of British involvement in 1859, which also resulted in the partitioning of the complex, with the outer court being designated for Hindu activity. The seeds of conflict were planted, which laid the groundwork for decades of judicial disputes and societal upheaval throughout that time period.
See the timelines:
1529: Mir Baqi, who was the commander of the Mughal emperor Babur, was the one who constructed the Babri Mosque in the year 1529.
1853: The Nirmohis, a Hindu sect, claimed that a Hindu mandir that had been razed during Babur’s reign was located there.
1885: This year marks the beginning of a court battle over the mosque. With the intention of constructing a temple on the land adjacent to the mosque, Mahant Raghubir Das initiated the first legal action on the matter. The Faizabad district magistrate, on the other hand, did not give his consent to the request.
1949: According to the Hindu priest Abhiram Das, Ram was supposed to make appearances in dreams when he was sleeping beneath the main dome of the Masjid. On the evening of December 22, the loyal Hindus began worshipping when idols appeared inside the mosque. They believed that this was a sign from God that they were being blessed. However, on December 23, the then-DM of Faizabad, KK Nayar, informed the then-CM of Uttar Pradesh, Govind Ballabh Pant, that a group of Hindus had gained entry to the area and erected the idol without permission. After a formal complaint was submitted, the city magistrate took possession of the property and confiscated it.
1950: In 1950, the court in Faizabad was presented with two lawsuits that requested permission to do puja. Both of these motions were approved. On the other hand, the court ordered that the gates to the inner courtyard remain closed continuously.
1961: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Wakf Board filed a lawsuit in 1961, seeking that the Ram Lalla sculptures be removed from the Babri Masjid as well as ownership of the ground where the mosque should be located. A petitioner filed a lawsuit, appealing for the property to be returned to Muslims. This was an important event that took place at the time. The Sunni Central Waqf Board declared that the Babri Mosque was their property, and they joined the court battle. This legal manoeuvre laid the groundwork for a lengthy court struggle over the ownership of the challenged site, which was already in the process of being contested.
1984: The Vishva Hindu Parishad Party (VHP) spearheaded the creation of a committee in the 1980s. The committee’s ambitious objective was to “liberate” the spot where Sri Ram was born and to build a mandir in his honour. This event heralded the beginning of the formalisation of efforts to construct the Ram Mandir and brought a religious and political component to the conflict that had been going on for a long time. A group that was first created by the VHP initiated the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement. LK Advani, a stalwart member of the BJP, is the leader of the movement.
1986: In 1986, a district judge ordered the removal of locks and provided permission for the puja and darshan of Ram Lalla to take place.
1989: The VHP made a crucial decision in 1989 when they started building a Ram Mandir on the site next to the Babri Masjid. Controversial legal fights occurred, culminating in the filing of a petition to relocate the mosque.Rajiv Gandhi, who was serving as prime minister at the time and later became a prominent Congress leader, gave permission to the VHP in 1989 to carry out Shilanayas, which are the laying of foundation stones, in close proximity to the contested region.
1990: It was in the year 1990 that LK Advani initiated the Rath Yatra, which entailed a journey from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. Following this, there were disturbances in the village, which ultimately led to the deaths of close to two thousand people. The Rath Yatra was successful in garnering popular support for the construction of the temple. However, it also caused political difficulties, which finally resulted in Advani’s detention.
1992: On December 6, 1992, karsevaks destroyed the Babri Mosque in front of VHP and BJP leaders, which was a significant turning point in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir saga. As a result of this act of destruction, communal riots broke out all over the country, which led to a substantial number of fatalities and global condemnation. It is impossible to erase the impact that the incident had on the socio-political landscape of India. The Babri Mosque was destroyed by a violent crowd in 1992.
2019: In compliance with the orders issued by the Allahabad High Court, the ASI initially begins digging beneath the spot that was under dispute in 2003. According to reports, there are remnants of a Hindu temple that dates back to the tenth century. The year 2019 marks the establishment of a Supreme Court bench consisting of five judges to consider cases. Following the decision of the Supreme Court, which sided with the Hindu side, the Ram Temple may now be constructed at the location that has been the subject of controversy. In addition, the highest court in the land ordered the Central government to hand up a different five-acre plot of property to the Sunni Waqf Board so that they could build a mosque on a prominent site in Ayodhya.
2020: In the year 2020, the Union Cabinet gives its approval to the foundation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, which would be responsible for supervising the construction of the temple. The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board was given five acres by the state government in the year 2020 in order to construct a mosque in the village of Dhannipur, which is located in the Sohawal tehsil of Ayodhya. A decision was made to accept the land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Ram Mandir, which was a silver block weighing forty kilogrammes.
2024: Today is the day we all will witness the Ram Mandir Pran-Pratishtha ceremony. It has been a long journey of faith and persistence. Shri Ram chose Narendra Modi ji to be the leader in the battle of truth and politics. This day will be marked as the day of another Diwali, a day that will remind us to fight for what is right and never bend down to injustice.
The Pran Pratishta of the Ram Mandir is a momentous occasion that symbolises the coming together of the nation’s spiritual and national pride. During the time that the holy deity is residing in the centre of Ayodhya, our souls are filled with delight and devotion. Rather than being limited to bricks and concrete, this symbolic homecoming is what weaves the thread of our cultural identity back together. As a tribute to our common heritage, may each and every stone that is set and each and every prayer that is uttered stand. The Ram Mandir, which may radiate peace, harmony, and righteousness, may serve as our collective guide toward a future in which love and understanding triumph over conflict.
Huge respect to all the Karsevaks, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayam Swayamsevak Sangh, and Shri Narendra Modi ji for bringing an extreme desire into reality.
Jai Shri Ram!
