Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Inauguration, Cultural Significance, Temple Architecture, Heritage..

Context: The Prime Minister of India will be attending the consecration           ceremony of the Ram Mandir, marking the inauguration in Ayodhya on January 22 2024.

Ram Mandir: Composition and Supervision of Trust:

• Foundation: On August 5, 2020, the Prime Minister placed the temple's foundation stone. 

• Location: It is thought that Lord Rama was born at the Ram Janmabhoomi location, where the temple is situated.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust is overseeing the construction of the Ram Mandir.  

• Following the Supreme Court's ruling in the Ayodhya land dispute case, the trust was established in 2020. There are fifteen trustees on it.

• Chairman: The trust's chairman is Mahant Nrityagopal Das. Twelve of the fifteen trustees are chosen by the federal government.

• Composition: The trust consists of nine permanent members and six nominees, all of whom are devout Hindus.

• Voting powers in trust proceedings shall not be granted to other members, such as the district collector of Ayodhya, the officers nominated by the state and federal governments, or the representative of Nirmohi Akhara. 

• Out of 15, only 11 trustees have voting rights.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Movement: From Conflict to Ram Temple Construction:

• About: It is thought that Lord Rama was born at the location of the Ram Mandir. 

• The Mughals built the Babri Masjid, a mosque, at this location.

• Launch: In the 1980s, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad started a campaign to restore the location for Hindus and erect a temple there in honor of the young Rama (Ram Lalla). 

• Babri Masjid demolition: In 1992, a voluntary demonstration led by Kar Sevaks descended into hostility, which resulted in the Babri Masjid's demolition.

• The Supreme Court of India declared in 2019 that the location was once home to a Hindu temple that was demolished before the Babri Masjid was built.

• Managing Building: The court decided to turn over the land that was under dispute. 

Ayodhya Conflict: Court Case and the Supreme Court's Decision Regarding Ram Mandir :

• The control of a spot that Hindus believe to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, the position of the Babri Masjid mosque there, and whether or not a previous Hindu temple was destroyed before the mosque was built were the main points of contention in the Ayodhya controversy.

• Origin: A decade after the destruction of the Babri Masjid, in 2002, a title dispute was brought before the Allahabad High Court, sparking the start of the legal conflict.

• The verdict of the Allahabad High Court: The 2.77 acres of the contested land would be split equally amongst the three petitioners, according to the 2010 Allahabad High Court order.

• The 2010 order by the Allahabad High Court stipulated that the 2.77 acres of contested land will be split evenly between the three parties involved in the litigation.

• The Sunni Board, Nirmohi Akhada, and the group representing Ram Lalla were the three parties involved in the litigation. The Hindu party was granted the key disputed section.

• The verdict of the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court of India rendered a final decision on the matter in 2019. It set aside the Allahabad High Court's earlier decision.

• The court ruled that Muslims would be given property elsewhere to build a mosque, and Hindu petitioners should be granted the disputed site so they could build a temple for Lord Ram.

• The 2.77 acres of contested land would be divided equally among the three parties to the lawsuit, according to the 2010 judgment from the Allahabad High Court.

• The three parties involved in the dispute were the Sunni Board, Nirmohi Akhada, and the group that was defending Ram Lalla. The main contentious section was given to the Hindu party.

• The Supreme Court's decision: In 2019, the Indian Supreme Court issued a definitive ruling on the subject. It overturned the previous ruling of the Allahabad High Court.

• The court decided that Hindu petitioners should be provided the contested site so they could erect a temple for Lord Ram, while Muslims would be given property elsewhere to build a mosque.

Architecture of Ram Mandir: Nagara Style Grandeur and Design:

• Dimensions: When completed, Ram Mandir will be the third-largest Hindu shrine in the world, measuring 235 feet (72 meters) broad, 360 feet (110 meters) long, and 161 feet (49 meters) high. 

• Architect: Chandrakant Bhai Sompura, who also created the Akshardham temple in Gujarat, is the temple's principal architect.

• The architecture is in the Nagara style, which was greatly influenced by the Gujara-Chalukya style of Nagara architecture. The Nagara style of temple building includes the architecture of the Gurjara Chalukyas.

• A unique architectural style known as the Nagara Style emerged in Northern India starting in the fifth century A.D. They adhere to Panchayatan style as well. For instance, the temple group of Khajuraho.

• The architecture is in the Nagara style, which was greatly influenced by the Gujara-Chalukya style of Nagara architecture. The Nagara style of temple building includes the architecture of the Gurjara Chalukyas.

• A unique architectural style known as the Nagara Style emerged in Northern India starting in the fifth century A.D. They adhere to Panchayatan style as well. For instance, the temple group of Khajuraho.

• Characteristics of the Nagara Architectural Style:

• The meeting halls in front of the main shrine are known as mantapas. In contrast to South India, they typically lack ornate boundary walls and gates.

• Shikhara: The tower that makes up the temple has a variable height and width with a rectangular or square base.

• Five mandapas will be located on the gateway and in the center of the sanctum sanctorum, or garbhagriha, in the temple.

• Main Deity: The temple's presiding deity is Ram Lalla Virajman, an infant form of Lord Rama who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

• Accompanying Deity: The twelve incarnations of the goddess Saraswati, the ten Dashavataras, the 64 Chausath Yoginis, and the incarnations of Shiva will all be represented by idols in the temple.

• Main building: The temple's three-story main building will be erected on an elevated platform.

Ram Mandir’s Significance: Cultural, Economic, and Social Implications:

• Religious Significance: Hindus in the nation have long held a deep spiritual and religious desire, and the temple's building is considered as the realization of this desire.

• Cultural Heritage: The ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, has a strong historical and cultural link with Ayodhya. 

• Building the temple is seen as a symbol of honoring and conserving India's rich cultural legacy.

• Economic Value: The building of Ram Mandir might spur job creation, increased tourism, and economic growth in the area, opening doors for regional development.

• Religious Peace: With the resolution of the Ayodhya issue and the erection of Ram Mandir, there may be an end to the decades-long conflicts between Muslims and Hindus over religion.

• Charity's Growth: The temple might serve as the center for the expansion of philanthropic organizations like hospitals and schools.

• Development of Basic Infrastructure: In order to accommodate the influx of pilgrims, the construction of the temple may trigger the development of the area's roadways and other basic infrastructure.

  Conclusion:

    One of India's long-standing land conflicts will come to an end with the opening of the Ram      Mandir in Ayodhya. 

                           If you like plz follow