Ram Mandir Inauguration in Ayodhya: An Emotional and Festive Moment for Billions of Hindus Across the Globe
- For adherents of the Sanatana Dharma, Diwali has come quite early this year.
In the year 1528 A.D. Mughal Emperor Zahir-Uddin Babur ordered the demolition of a temple in the city of Ayodhya. Mir Baqi, the commander of the Mughal army, razed this temple to the ground and built a mosque, popularly known as the Babri Mosque or Masjid-i-Janmasthan, at the place where the temple stood.
Even though it was common to have thousands of Hindu temples destroyed during the Mughal era, this particular temple in Ayodhya was of special importance to Hindus as the place where the temple stood was the birthplace of Lord Rama — one of the most important deities and central figures in Hinduism.
Over the centuries, several Hindu kings made attempts to gain control of the city of Ayodhya. The medieval and even most recent history of Ayodhya is full of violent clashes between Hindus and Muslims that revolve around the efforts to restore and reconstruct the temple.
Hundreds of thousands of Hindu lives and several generations of Hindus had been lost in efforts to restore the temple to its former glory. For the last few decades this dispute of who owns the land where the temple stood was being contested in the Supreme Court of India.
The final verdict on Ayodhya dispute came in November 2019 when the apex court of India passed a judgment to hand over the land to Hindus for the construction of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Even the large section of the Muslim population of India accepted and welcomed this decision wholeheartedly.
Iqbal Ansari who represented the Muslim side during the legal proceedings said “When the Supreme Court gave its judgment on November 9, 2019, the Muslims of the entire country welcomed it. There were no protests nor any agitation anywhere in the country. All these issues have ended on November 9, 2019.”
After the Supreme Court judgement, the construction of the temple at the birthplace of the Lord Rama began in August 2020.The consecration ceremony of the “Vigrah (Deity)” of the Lord Rama in a sanctum sanctorum of a newly built temple at the birthplace of Lord Rama will be performed on January 22, 2024.
Hundreds of thousands of Hindu lives and several generations of Hindus had been lost in efforts to restore the temple to its former glory.
It’s an emotional moment and moment of pride for billions of Hindus living across the globe to see the deity that represents courage, love, compassion, equality and justice, restored in its former glory. The current generation of Hindus is witnessing something that the past generations could only imagine and wish for. Therefore, Hindus from all over the world are celebrating this once in a life-time, epochal moment.
In India, several districts and local governments have announced the public holiday on January 22. In the biggest pan-India outreach, several Hindu organizations have reached out to more than 250 million households to invite and encourage Hindu families to participate in festivities such as Bhajans, poojas, chanting etc. at local temples and community centers.
Celebrations are underway with the same enthusiasm and excitement in the Hindu families living outside India. Hundreds of Hindu temples across the U.S. are planning special poojas, sacred fire ceremonies from January 13 till 22. Several religious festivities such as bhajan, chanting, Satsang etc. are being planned at these temples. Deepotsavs, exhibitions, car rallies, Ram rath yatras are some of the unique ways in which Hindu Americans are participating in such celebrations.
Hindu Americans in Houston recently participated in a 3-mile-long car rally with 216 cars escorted by eight police vehicles. Similar rallies took place in Chicago, New Jersey, and other cities. Livestream of the consecration ceremony is also planned at Times Square in New York.
Hindus celebrate the festival of Diwali to mark the return of Lord Rama to his capital city of Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana. After the Ramayana war in Lanka, citizens of Ayodhya lit oil lamps, deepaks, when they saw their King returning to the throne. In 2024, millions of Hindus will be lighting oil lamps in their households, temples, community centers to celebrate the consecration of their beloved deity into the mandir. Surely, for Hindus and descendants of the Sanatana Dharma, Diwali has come quite early this year.
Nikhil Ajotikar is an engineering analyst by profession. He is originally from Pune in Maharashtra and has been living in the United States for the past 12 years. He likes to read and write about Indian history, spirituality, Hinduism, politics and social topics.