Breaking holy ground

Despite muted criticism among seers, Ayodhya readies itself for a historic moment in the Ram temple saga

- PUJA AWASTHI/Ayodhya

ABARELY palpable excitement courses through Ayodhya as it readies itself for the bhoomi pujan (ground breaking ceremony) of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple on August 5. Municipal corporation vans weave their way through the narrow lanes, asking residents to participate in a quick beautification of the town that is readying itself for the biggest event since the demolition of the Babri mosque.

While Covid-19 has scaled back the celebrations, there is muted criticism among Ayodhya’s seers of the way things are panning out. A new body, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust (SRJTKT), is managing the show, while older ones such as the Nirmohi Akhara have been pushed to the background.

It is a disappointment that is not voiced directly. Ambrish Singh, regional organisational secretary, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), said that while his organisation’s focus is the Ram temple, it has many other tasks to carry out such as the protection of cows and stopping religious conversions. “We will initiate a mass contact programme to ensure the emotional connect of Hindus with the mandir as decided by the trust,” said Singh. But it papers over the fact that the VHP old guard, which has long been at the forefront of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, has been sidelined since the formation of the SRJTKT.

This body was announced on February 5, as directed by the Supreme Court judgment on the title suit. According to the gazette notification on the formation of the SRJTKT, it bears powers ‘including the construction of the temple and all necessary, incidental and supplemental matters thereto’.