Keeping up with UP | A country prepares to meet its destiny set 33 years ago

Uttar Pradesh will be soaked in unprecedented religious fervour ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony on January 22 in Ayodhya. It will certainly be more intense than the 1990 frenzy created by Lal Krishna Advani’s 10,000 km rath yatra (chariot procession) from Somnath to Ayodhya, traversing through 10 states.

PREMIUM TOPSHOT Workers are pictured at the construction site of a temple to Hindu deity Ram, in Ayodhya on December 29, 2023. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)(AFP) The aim then was to mobilise support for consecrating what is considered to be the birthplace of Ram. Thirty three years later, the mood is festive as a spectacular Ram temple is ready for inauguration, marking the culmination of an emotive battle that is believed to have begun in 1528 when Mir Baqi built the Babri Mosque on the instructions of Mughal emperor Babur — and which the rath yatra ended up mobilising workers to demolish in 1992.

The two slogans mark the journey, from “ Ram Lalla hum aayenge, mandir wahin banayenge (Ram, we will come and construct the temple there) to “ Ram lalla hum aayenge, pataka wahin phailayenge (Ram, we will come and hoist our flag there).” The build up has already begun and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ayodhya's visit on December 30 along with his appeal to light a diya on January 22 will galvanise Ram devotees.

Already people are thronging temples across the country to welcome the New Year. Two incidents display the countrywide frenzy already on display. On board a Mumbai Lucknow evening flight on December 21, a man in saffron robes, occupying the aisle seat in the first row, played a clip on the Ram temple, a symbol of Hindu victory, on his phone, loud enough to be heard for 15 rows as the pilot waited in a long queue for clearance to take off.

No one reacted in those 15 minutes despite some provocative sections. And then, the "Jai Shri Ram" slogan was chanted twice. Second, a couple from the US flew down to Uttar Pradesh to visit Ayodhya. One, a medical professional, and the other, a nuclear scientist, said they felt blessed by placing a brick at the construction site.

As religious temperatures rise across classes and castes, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) as well as the state government have planned programmes in the new year. In a circular to all the district magistrates and commissioners, chief secretary DS Mishra has ordered week long programmes from Makar Sankranti (January 14 to 22), which include recitation of Ramcharistmanas and Valmiki Ramayan, bhajan kritans (religious songs) across all Hanuman, Ram and Valmiki temples in the state, though the funding of these religious events by the government has invited criticism.

RSS volunteers will also go from door to door distributing consecrated rice and motivating people to light diyas (earthen lamps) to celebrate the return of Ram to Ayodhya — along the lines of Deepawali. Many women have already taken out Kalash Yatras ( carrying metal pots on their heads). Though there are many video clips and songs on social media, a poem penned by Mritunjay Kumar, advisor to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, sums up the mood.

Released by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Kumar has recited the poem: “Ram aaye hain mere Ram aaye hain. (Ram has come, my Ram has come).” Another song sung by Kannaihya Lal, goes, “Bhavan mein aaye hain Shri Ram ( Ram has come to the temple)”. While the video of the song shows the ongoing preparations, the other poem is emotive: “ Umre man mein bhav ke badal, naino se jhalke neer, Vaibhav pheeka para swarg ka, badli hai taqdeer (My heart is full of emotions, my eyes filled with tears, even heavens appear dull after the change of our fate).” Opposition’s dilemma while waiting for invites Significantly, while the Opposition was not invited to the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor by Modi on December 13, 2021, the invitation for the January 22 consecration ceremony in Ayodhya is being sent to some senior leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress.

Interestingly, the Congress has played a major role in the entire Ram temple movement but for fear of upsetting the Muslim community has not advertised this. The three major turning points in the temple movement occurred during Congress regimes — the opening of the shrine gates in 1986, albeit after a court order, the laying of the first foundation of the temple in 1989 — again after signing an agreement with the VHP — and the demolition of the shrine in 1992.

Now, as their leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadera, have been temple hopping to dilute the propaganda that paints them and the party as anti Hindu, many in the party want the leadership to end their dilemma and declare their intention to attend the function, either themselves or through a representative.

They want them to concede that their participation will not upset their Muslim or liberal Hindu supporters as they also understand the consequences of not attending the event. They cannot afford to be dubbed “anti Hindu”. The Samajwadi Party leadership, especially Akhilesh Yadav, was quick to end speculation on attending the consecration ceremony, though they have not received an invite.

Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav cleared the air stating, “If Ram will invite us, we will definitely go for his darshan.” Their uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav also said, " It's the apex court which allowed construction of the temple. We will go and have darshan with the family." Pawan Pandey, a local SP leader from Ayodhya, said, “Our late leader Mulayam Singh Yadav had always advocated a negotiated settlement or a decision by the Supreme Court.” Mulayam Singh Yadav, as chief minister, had ordered firing on kar sewaks in the early 1990s for which he had later apologised saying, “I performed my constitutional duty to protect the country.” Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Choudhury has not as yet received any invite and is understandably open to attending the consecration ceremony.

It’s Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati who may have to take a call as the BJP leadership goes all out to woo Dalits. If she gets an invite, she is likely to send her representative as she rarely makes appearances at public events. In fact, the political bloc in the 1990s was vertically divided during the temple movement with the opposition consistently advocating the protection of the disputed shrine till a decision by the Supreme Court or a negotiated settlement.

Many of them including, the late prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, and the Left leaders had marched to Ayodhya to establish their secular credentials and protect the disputed shrine while the Sangh Parivar was relentlessly fighting to reclaim it. But much water has flowed down the Sarayu since then, as the Supreme Court verdict paved the way for the construction of the Ram temple.

Muslims too have come forward with their contributions. It’s time for peace to prevail as festivity goes on. All, the opposition and the state, should ensure this. From her perch in Lucknow, HT’s senior journalist Sunita Aron highlights important issues related to Uttar Pradesh Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Continue reading with HT Premium Subscription Daily E Paper I Premium Articles I Brunch E Magazine I Daily Infographics Subscribe Now @1199/year Already Subscribed? Sign In SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Share Via Copy Link Ram Temple Ayodhya Uttar Pradesh.