As the epochal moment of five centuries wait nears, an overwhelming surge of fervour has been more palpable. The air is pregnant with the chants of Bhagwan Sri Ram everywhere. Immersed in this cultural revivalism Bharatiyas are subjected to a surreal feeling resonating with the ethos of the land. This Bharatiya civilisation remained a mystery for the West which was overwhelmed by her plurality that defied the narrow Westphalian definition of the “nation-state”. Intrigued by her diversity, they mischievously labelled Bharat ‘uncivilised’ and the indigenous population as “barbarians”. Reluctant to make an effort to understand the innate ethos of the indigenous population, they failed to soak in the essence of this land.
Unfortunately,
the spokesmen of the West and the dilettante, Brown Sahibs with Western degrees
are now committing the same folly of misinterpreting this unprecedented
enthusiasm and devoutness with their blinkered approach towards the Ram Mandir
Movement. Five centuries is a long time. Times change, circumstances change and
even the yearning, desire and aspiration take a blow. But in the fight for
reclaiming the Ram Janmabhoomi, the flame of resistance was kept alive.
Undaunted, the people have reposed extreme faith in their deity and resolutely
defended several onslaughts and attacks.
The victory
for the Hindu side is the triumph of Hindu resistance against the iconoclastic
zealotry which was safely given a pass both by the pseudo-historians and the
influential Western ecosystem that set the global discourse. The tales of Hindu
courage, indomitable spirit and unimpeachable commitment towards their faith were
always conveniently sidelined. Instead, a dominant narrative of Hindus being
portrayed as weak, disunited and disorganised clans has been popularised. Their tales of unparalleled resistance,
sacrifice and valour have never been part of the Indian discourse.
Fed with the
episodes of treachery, and internecine quarrels among Hindu rulers that paved
the way for foreign invasions and their eventual consolidation of power, Hindus
were deemed as weaklings. Nations become weak not because of the invasions but
because of the false sense of inferiority and servility being ingrained in
their consciousness
Now, no
longer the historians or intellectuals can undercut the collective spirit of
strong-willed Hindus who despite odds have reclaimed the Janmabhoomi which was
been rightfully theirs. The repossession of 2.77 acres of Ram Janma Bhoomi has
been singularly possible because of the generations of Hindus who kept the hope
and fire alive.
Sanatanis
don’t have well laid out tenets or commands, unlike the Abrahamic Religions which
are ordained to follow a rigid set of dos and don’ts. But Sanatanis are
expected to tread the path of dharma. Dharma is again not strictly defined. It
is a model code of conduct that an individual is required to follow. These
include a set of duties to perform and responsibilities to uphold and deliver
so that the individual as a part of the family and society would play a
constructive role and lead a righteous life. To impel individuals towards a
path of righteousness, people need certain benchmarks, a role model and a
charter of guidelines that could serve as a moral compass. Interestingly the
deities of Sanatana Dharma have been embodiments of all such characteristics
which people look forward to.
Bhagwan Sri
Rama, the seventh incarnation of Sri Maha Vishnu has been the personification
of dharma or righteousness- रामो
विग्रहवान् धर्मः (Ramo Vigrahavan Dharma). The Shodhashopachara
gunas or the 16 gunas make him the embodiment of Dharma. For ages, Sri Rama has
been ardently worshipped by millions of Sanatanis who always sought the
Maryadapurushottam for direction and light. He has become an integral part of
every Sanantani life and it is difficult to even define/ preach dharma without
drawing a snippet or two from his life. This intangible value set which has
been integral to Sanatanis has been passed from generation to generation as a
legit dharma. Thus, Bhagwan Sri Rama has been an inalienable part of the
Sanatana Dharma. Dharmic life is incomplete without the invocation of the gunas
of Sri Rama.
Indeed, the exemplar of Dharma, Sri
Rama has been revered as a Paragon of righteousness by all Indic religions
including the Sikhs, who also played a vital and crucial role in the Rama Janma
Bhoomi resistance movement. Bhagwan Sri Rama is the manifestation of Kalyan
Gunas for every Hindustani.
By erecting a masjid or a dhacha
as the locals refer to it, over the most sacred place for Sanatanis, the
iconoclast invaders tried to wipe out Sanatana Dharma. The resilience of
Sanatanis to reclaim the Sri Rama Janmabhoomi stems from the special and inseparable
bond that they had with their deities. The fight to reclaim the Janmabhoomi
which began in the 16th century has continued till the 21st century. The faith
and the bhakti of the people towards their exemplar of Dharma have been the
real motivation that sustained the momentum of this movement.
Bhakti has the power to move the
mountains and bring heaven onto the earth. Hindus made several attempts during
the extended Mughal Rule to regain control of the Janmabhoomi. They continued
their resistance movement for centuries. Hindus of every walk of life including
the Sadhus and Seers have been part of this relentless resistance. As per
unofficial accounts, over one lakh fifty thousand lives have been lost thus far.
After the First War of Independence
when the control of the site was transferred to the British, Hindus tried to
clinch the site through legal battles. Through all the trials and tribulations
which included the long-drawn legal battles and armed battles, Hindus
uninterruptedly offered prayers at Janmabhoomi and never disowned the place. Hindus heaved a sigh of relief after the
independence anticipating the return of the sacred places, especially Ayodhya,
Kashi and Mathura. But they were meted with disappointment and callousness.
Disheartened, dejected yet undeterred
with renewed spirit, Hindus regrouped and reorganised a chartered framework for
getting back the Janmabhoomi. This included mobilisation of people and creating
awareness along with the legal battle in courts. Shilanyas, Karaseva, Rama
Jyothi rallies, and Rath Yatra touched the heartstrings of millions of Hindus.
The surge of emotional yearning bolstered the collective zeal for the realisation
of the long-cherished dream of generations of Hindus.
Impelled to be part of the mass
movement which is now a manifestation of the collective consciousness of the
nation, political parties have jumped into the fray. Indeed, the fight to
regain control of Rama Janmabhoomi had begun at a time when even the P of the
political parties hadn’t come into existence. Hence, reducing the religious fervour that
has gripped the nation in anticipation of the consecration of Ram Mandir and
lending a political colour to it is a grave injustice to the Sanatanis. Similarly,
accrediting the victory of Hindus to any political party is preposterous and
ridiculous. It is the triumph of the indigenous civilisation over the invasive
forces that have tried to exterminate the pagan culture.
The
construction of a magnificent Ram Mandir at the Janabhoomi after winning the
legal battles is a testimony to the forbearance, resilience and Aastha of people.
This event marks the emergence of a new India that is Bharat which is
unapologetic about her identity. Post the historic Supreme Court’s ruling in
favour of the Hindus on 9 November 2019, Hindus were asked to tone their
celebrations and accordingly, the much-awaited Bhumi Pujan ceremony on 5 August
2020 has been a low-key affair. Disapproving the SC judgement and insulting the
Hindu sentiments, major political protested wearing black clothes. Even now, as
the nation wore a festive look to welcome Ram Lalla’s Moorthi pratishta at
Ayodhya, the liberal commentariat is laying a guilt trip for Hindus seeking
some solace from the long-festering wound of razing down the Ram Mandir in
1528.
The worship
of Bhagwan Sri Rama is an integral part of people’s Aastha. This Aastha is the
identity of the people of this land. The ill-conceived tropes and attempts to
malign this collective surge of fervour in the run up to the Pran Pratishta and
the attribution of motives political or otherwise must be debunked and rejected
lock stock and barrel.
Notwithstanding
the ecosystem that seeks to keep Hindus perennially ashamed and guilty, history
will recall Ram Mandir at Ayodhya as a singular instance of spirited Pagan
resistance and reclamation of their sacred place from marauding invasive faiths
thus far. The consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at Rama Mandir at Ayodhya is a
momentous occasion for Hindus who are revving up their pursuits to restore and
reclaim their civilisation. Having been at the receiving end of manipulative
politics that always divided Hindus along caste lines, the Mandir has been a
great unifier bringing together Hindus of all hues.
Growing up
listening to the sloka regularly, the consecration of Rama Mandir at Ayodhya
feels surreal.
श्री राघवं दशरथात्मजा मप्रमेयम् सीतापतिं रघुकुलान्वय रत्न दीपम्
अजानुबहुम् अरविन्दलयातक्षम् रामं निसाचर विनाशकारं नमामि
(I bow down
to Bhagwan Sri Rama, who is the son of Dasartha, one who is the consort of
Sita, the bejewelled lamp among the followers in the dynasty of King Raghu, who
has long arms, whose eyes are like the lotus petals, who annihilates the
dark-dwelling demons.)
It is
immensely gratifying to live in a special time in history when Ayodhya Ram
Mandir is a reality reverberating with Divine Presence and standing tall
signifying the glory of this timeless civilisation.
A
civilisation that fails to wear its identity as a badge of honour can never
command any respect among the comity of nations. As proud inheritors of this
civilisation, it is the bounden duty of every citizen to protect and safeguard
their identity. A pride in the civilisational identity can alone beget respect.
Jai Sri Ram
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