RAM MANDIR, AYODHYA
''THE LAND OF LORD RAMA"
The 'pran pratishtha' or consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya will be held on 22nd January. The inauguration function is anticipated to feature addresses by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. The consecration is slated for 12:20 pm, with around 8,000 attendees expected to participate.
The entire event will be televised live on DD News. For the international audience, the ceremony can be viewed on the YouTube channel of Doordarshan National. After special pooja, the idol was brought on 17th January at night in a well decorated truck and placed inside the temple with the help of a crane. The picture of Ram Lalla's idol, black-stone representation of Ram Lalla, crafted by sculptor Arun Yogiraj from Mysuru in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been released.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released six commemorative postage stamps themed on Ram Mandir. An album showcasing similar stamps related to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi issued earlier in different parts of the world. Several pictures on social media present the intricate carvings on the walls and ceilings present an awe-inspiring craftsmanship with statues depicting the life of Lord Ram on the lavishly built temple. Grand doorways leading to the sanctum sanctorum looks heavenly. The wait is finally over, the ceremonious day of pride and spirituality has come.
In Mumbai, a replica of Lord Ram has been lit up in the Shivaji Park. The Indians were eagerly waiting for this moment and there is an air of palpable excitement across the country. Chef Vishnu Manohar is attempting to set a new world record by preparing 7000 kg of Shri Shir in a special cauldron named Hanuman Kadhayi.
On 5 February 2020, the Parliament of India announced that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accepted the plan to construct the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The story starts from 1526 when Mughal ruler Babar came to India, just after two years Babar's commander Mir Baqi at the behest of Babar, built a mosque named Babri Masjid by demolishing the temple of Lord Ram. This was the period when the Mughal rule was at its peak. Later in the 19th century after the annexation of British rule in India, Mughal rule got weakened, and then the Hindus raised the issue of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and since then the fight continued. In December 1949, the Hindu organization Akhil Bharatiya Ramayan Mahasabha organised a non-stop nine day recitation of the Ramcharitamanas just outside the mosque. After this event, on the night of 23 December 1949, a group of 50-60 people entered the mosque and placed idols of Rama there. On 16 January 1950, Gopal Singh Visharad filed a civil suit in the Faizabad Court, asking that Hindus be allowed to worship Rama and Sita at the place. In 1959, the Nirmohi Akhara filed another lawsuit demanding possession of the mosque. On 18 December 1961, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board also filled a lawsuit, demanding possession of the site and removal of idols from the mosque premises.
In 1990, senior leader of the BJP party Lal Krishna Advani started a Rath Yatra from Somnath, Gujarat to Uttar Pradesh. Its repercussions led to religious disharmony and riots in several places and Mr. Advani got arrested in Bihar. On 6th December, 1992 thousands of kar sevak moved to Ayodhya and demolished Babri mosque and built a temporary Ram Mandir, after this riots broke out in almost every part of India.
On 16th December 1992 the Liberhan Committee was appointed to look into the matter keenly. In April 2002, for deciding the ownership right of the land a bench of three judges - Justice Sudhir Aggarwal, Justice Sibghat Ullah Khan and Justice Dharm Veer Sharma was constituted at the Allahabad court. For the hearing of the case the Allahabad court asks the Archaeological Survey of India to investigate the land and submit a report on it. After considering the ASI report, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High court on 30th September 2010, delivered a historical judgment of division of the whole disputed land into three parts- the first part of Ram Murti was given to Ram Lalla Virajman, the second part of Seeta Rasoi, Bhandara and Ram Chabutra was given to Nirmohi Akhara and the remaining area was given to Sunni Waqf Board. But on 9th May 2011, the Supreme Court put a stay order on this decision and in February 2016, Subramaniyam Swamy filed a case in the Supreme Court for building Ram Mandir.
In March 2017 the Chief Justice of Supreme court Justice JS Khehar advised to resolve the dispute outside the court by discussion between the related parties. Till December 2017, there were 32 appeals against this decision. The Supreme Court decided to take the hearing of this particular case from January 2019. For this hearing, the Supreme Court composed a bench of five judges - Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer. On 8th March 2019, the Supreme Court asked to settle the dispute by a Mediation Panel regulated by the court. The panel presents the report, after which the court hearing goes for forty days from 6th August to 14th October. The Supreme Court announced the decision of Allahabad Court of dividing the land into three parts was an unsustainable one. The Supreme court used its power of the Constitution's article 142 to give a final decision of giving the land of Babri mosque that is 2.77 acres of land to Ram Lalla Virajman and Sunni Waqf will be given 5 acres of land from Central or State government.
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