Prabhu Sri Ram is the soul of Bharat and Hindu Samaj, whose centuries of stay in a tent ended on January 22, 2024, with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. However, August 5, 2020, marks an important date for Hindus as it was on this day that PM Modi conducted the Ram Mandir Bhoomipujan (laying of foundation stone) ceremony. As four years of Bhoomipujan are completed, it is an apt time to relive the moment and understand what it signifies for Hindu Samaj.
Sri Ram Mandir Bhoomipujan
On August 5, 2020, a historic event took place in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP) Ayodhya, marking a significant moment for millions of Hindus worldwide—the Bhoomipujan (groundbreaking ceremony) of the Sri Ram Mandir. This event was a culmination of decades of legal and social struggles. In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark judgment, awarding the land to the Hindu side to construct the Ram Mandir. This verdict paved the way for the Bhoomipujan ceremony and the construction of the Mandir.
While laying the foundation stone, Prime Minister (PM) Modi emphasized the importance of the event in the context of Bharat’s cultural and spiritual heritage, highlighting the unity and resilience of the Hindu community. The Sri Ram Mandir Bhoomipujan is not just a religious event but a moment of immense cultural and historical significance for Hindus. It symbolizes fulfilling a long-standing aspiration to rebuild a temple dedicated to Prabhu Sri Ram at His birthplace. The temple is seen as a symbol of faith, unity, and the rich heritage of Hindu civilization.
The history of Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
The Ram Janmabhoomi (RJB) movement was fraught with numerous hurdles that Ram Lalla had to cross to regain His home from encroachers and squatters. The Hindu Samaj continued the struggle and fought tirelessly to ensure their deity.
On Babur’s instructions, his commander Mir Baki built the Babri Masjid over the existing temple at the RJB site. It was customary for Islamic invaders and rulers to destroy existing temples and build mosques over them, often by simply making a few changes to the temple structures.
As per the available information, at least 300 mosques that stand in Uttar Pradesh today have been built after destroying temples. These are the known ones, while numerous will be known only if the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducts a thorough excavation.
The Babri Masjid was constructed sometime in 1528-29 to symbolize the overrunning of the Hindu site by Islamic rule. Ever since then, there were skirmishes between Hindus and Muslims, which were subdued when the place was under the reign of Awadh Nawab Sadat Ali Khan.
Subsequently, after a long-drawn battle both pre and post-independence, Hindus could regain what rightfully belonged to them.
The movement to reclaim the land for Bhagwan Prabhu Sri Ram began with a nine-day recital of the Ramcharitamanas led by UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s Paramaguru, Shri Digvijay Nath Ji. In December 1949, vigrahas of Bhagwan Ram and his brothers were found inside the Babri Masjid, leading to a dispute between Hindus, who saw it as an act of god, and Muslims, who accused Hindus of placing the murtis there. PM Nehru’s order to remove the vigrahas was opposed by Mahant Shri Digvijay Nath Ji and District Magistrate KK Nayar, leading to the site being locked and designated as disputed.
Various parties filed three petitions between 1950 and 1959 seeking to allow Hindu worship at the site. The UP Sunni Wakf Board opposed these petitions and demanded the removal of the vigrahas, claiming the land as a Muslim burial ground. The movement gained momentum in the 1980s, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) actively advocating for the RJB cause.
In 1986, Judge KM Pandey ordered unlocking of the premises to allow Hindu worship. The BJP formally supported the cause in 1989, and LK Advani’s Rath Yatra further galvanized Hindu support. Despite violence against Karsevaks by Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government, the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, marked a significant moment in the struggle. The battle concluded with the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement in November 2019, awarding the entire 2.77 acres of land to Hindus for the construction of the Ram Mandir.
The significance of the event for Hindu Samaj
The Bhoomipujan ceremony on August 5, 2020, marked a new chapter in the history of Ayodhya and the Hindu community. It was a day of joy, reverence, and hope, celebrating the beginning of the construction of the grand Sri Ram Mandir, a dream cherished by millions for generations. It energized the Hindu Samaj and gave them hope for regaining other Hindu sites encroached upon. The entire country participated unitedly in the Pran Pratishtha function.
Bharatiyas have idolized Prabhu Sri Ram for centuries, and every Hindu king wished to emulate Him. Bhagwan Ram is Maryada Purshottam, which means the best of men who perfected righteousness. He was an ideal son, brother, husband, king – All this and more. It is not for nothing that his rule is known as Ram Rajya, and he is presented as an ideal for Hindus to emulate.
While the road ahead for other encroached sites is not easy, this Bhoomipujan awakened a section of Hindus who realised the importance of maintaining Hindu culture, which is possible only by securing our heritage sites. Regaining RJB also helped the Hindu Samaj throw off the shackles of slavery, although partially, that had been weighing it down for a long time.
The Bhoomipujan should be celebrated as the first step towards Hindu Dharmic revival, even if the Samaj has a long way to go. Hindu Samaj must be made aware of the struggles faced by Karsewaks to ensure Ram Lalla returns home. Even if a minuscule number of Hindus get inspired to reclaim other encroached structures and are ready to put efforts into understanding Hindu Dharma, then it’ll be the right beginning for Dharmic awakening and revival.
(Featured Image Source: NaiDunia)
