Kashi is inseparable from the ethos of Sanatana Dharma. Visiting Kashi
at least once in a lifetime is an unwritten code for every dharmic Hindu. Kashi
or Banaras is the abode of Avimukteshwar. It is believed that Bhagwan Shiva has
come to Varanasi and established a residence with a pledge to not leave the
place and hence the name Avimukta (means never to forsake this place). Interpreted
differently it implies that Bhagwan Shiva is always present in this place. The
name Avimukta which appears in Jabala Upanishad, called this place as an abode
of Brahman or infinite. Indeed, considered as the city resting on the trident
of Shiva, normal laws don’t apply to this place and anyone who dies in Kashi is
believed to attain Moksha.
Known to exist since early vedic times, bound by river Varana and Asi
rivers, the city came be to known as Varanasi. Since the city was rebuilt and
expanded by King Kasha, it is also called as Kaashi. Spiritual importance of
this place is unparalleled in Indian civilization.
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी कांची अवंतिका।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैता मोक्षदायिकाः॥
Kashi is listed among seven other places considered as Mokshapuri
(bestower of Moksha or Liberation). The list includes- Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya
(Mayapuri or Haridwar), Kanchi, Avantika (Ujjain), Puri and Dwaravati or
Dwaraka. Thus inexorably, Kashi has been the cornerstone of Hindu civilization.
It is for this this reason, to subjugate the Bharatamandala and humiliate
Hindus as idolaters the invaders repeatedly assaulted all the places the
indigenous civilization held in highest esteem.
Kashi has been worst victim of this orgy of brutal vandalism, which the
invaders loved to celebrate. Unfortunately for India, even after independence,
meted with the reluctance and lament of the leadership that derided and
discouraged any attempt to reclaim past glory, any pursuit to restore the
iconic symbols of Hindu civilization remained a pipe dream.
Hemmed by the whammy of slavery and colonialism for centuries, Hindus
have turned apologetic about their faith. After independence, fed on a heady
cocktail of secularism and the despicable appeasement finding no recourse to
even resurrect their civilizational identity, Hindus silently disowned and
abjured their transgenerational trauma.
Accusing any campaign or drive to reclaim the past as an attempt to disrupt
communal harmony of the society, the political leadership of the country
effectively weakened any new awakening. Despite being the majority, all
endeavours of the Hindus to revitalize and resuscitate their civilization was
critically looked down upon as an unwarranted threat to the borrowed western
concept of secularism.
Against these odds, the Hindus unlike other indigenous civilisations,
refused to give in. They began to consciously cultivate an awareness towards
the civilizational ethos of the land. While the latent realization gained a
critical mass through the Ramajanmabhoomi movement, devoid of any iota of furtherance
by the political leadership, restoration of the places of worship remained a
distant dream.
It is in this context the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanth Corridor
by Prime Minister can be reckoned as prodigious movement for the Hindus. Headed
by leaderships, who refused to proudly wear their faith on sleeves, Hindus
predominantly remained so reticent about their identity. Even as the symbol of
subjugation, Gyanavapi mosque still hovers over at the Western side of the
temple corridor, the refurbishment of the hallowed Baba Vishwanath Mandir built
by Rani Ahilya Bhai Holkar and adorned with gold gifted by Maharaja Ranjit
Singh assumes great significance.
By expanding the 3000sq ft of the temple premises swamped by narrow
lanes and by lanes with dangerously dangling live wires into a huge corridor of
5 lakh feet endowed with all facilities behooving an epochal temple radiating
divinity, Modi has essentially enhanced the vibrancy of this dharmic space.
Needless to say, dharmic spaces, brimming with radiance and endowed with
essential attributes of a temple can serve as nodal point for flourishment of dharma.
Huge temples in ancient India besides being repositories of sampradaya
served as centres for fine arts, culture and education. Thus, huge temple
corridors in contemporary times can essentially rekindle new reverence and
propel the new generation to rediscover their roots and explore the depths of
the Hindu civilization.
Thriving dharmic space can be an essential shield against the violent
usurpation of the indigenous civilization from the proselyting forces as well. Unlike
other dharmic spaces, Kashi is etched in civilizational memory as a hallowed
spot considered integral to Hindu civilization. Thus, the herculean task of
reclaiming and restoring the glory of the place is nothing short of reviving
the civilizational consciousness of Bharat.
Centuries of Muslim invasions has strangulated the consciousness of a
vibrant civilization and forced it to be apologetic about its roots and
identity. By celebrating our asmita and calling out the monstrosity of Aurangzeb
Modi’s unvarnished account of the Kashi’s history has smashed the neo-liberal
accounts of Mughal eulogy into smithereens. Infusing emotions into words,
rummaging through Kashi’s tryst with barbaric invasions and assaults, Modi
said, “Kashi Avinashi hai (Kashi is immortal). Invaders attacked this city,
tried to destroy it but Kashi withstood every attack as sultanates rose and
fell. History is witness to Aurangzeb’s atrocities, his terror. He tried to
change civilization by the sword. He tried to crush culture with fanaticism.
But the soil of this country is magical. Here if an (Mughal Emperor) Aurangzeb
comes, a (Maratha warrior) Shivaji also emerge”1.
In the same vein he said, “If any Salar Masood moves here, then brave
warriors like Raja Suheldev make the invader feel the power of unity”. The
brutal takedown of decades of orchestrated history that dominated the academic
curriculum and prevaricated scholarship has offered a much needed solace to a
civilization whose historical injustices are yet to find a redressal.
Lest the analysts would denominate this feat as a larger electoral game
plan, then what stopped the previous leaderships from resuscitating numerous
civilizational spots in India. Be what it may, with the masterly execution of
Kashi Corridor project, beautification of Somnath, brick laying ceremony at
Ayodhya and unveiling the statue of Adi Shankara statue at Kedarnath, Modi’s Indic
projects have augured well for the Hindu renaissance that is finding its feet.
Starkly, these developments have ignited an outrage that reminded of
Nehru reaction, “Iam wary of Hindu revivalism” to restoration of Somnath.
In response K.M. Mushi said, “Yesterday you referred to Hindu revivalism.
You pointedly referred to me in the Cabinet as connected with Somanth. I am
glad you did so; for I do not want to keep back any part of my views or
activities… I assure you that the ‘Collective Subconscious’ of India today is
happier with the scheme of reconstruction of Somnath…than with many other
things that we have done and are doing”2.
With several
places of worship still to be liberated and divested of the vestiges of
fanatical vandalization, reclaiming the Hindu civilisation is a work in
progress. The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is a first step in the right direction.
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