The Second Swaraj

THE 11-DAY ritual fast was more than an act of purification and cleansing. Visits to sacred sites as­sociated with the Ramayana were not just a ceremonial ambulation. The spiritual and physical rigor was animated by a soaring goal, of being the yajman, or the host, of no less a seminal event than the pra­na pratistha (consecration) of Lord Ram at his janmasthan (birthplace). The moment of fruition ar­rived at 12.29PM on January 22 when blindfolds were removed from the idol and the mool muhurta (essential time) of the con­secration began. With an entire nation watching, the yajman completed the rites to the chanting of religious hymns. If the preparatory penance was arduous, so was the task at hand, one Prime Minister Narendra Modi had undertaken to fulfil much before he walked into the precincts of the grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya carrying a silver chhatri (crown) resting on a folded red-coloured cloth.

The merger of the spiritual and the temporal was seamless and Swami Govind Dev Giri put the event and the man in con­text when he said Modi had exceeded the requirements of ritual fasting. “After all, he knows that it was the pratistha (ceremony) of Bhagwan Ram,” the swami said, and added he could recall only one king who had embodied similar qualities of mind and heart. “I can only remember Shivaji Maharaj,” he said, invoking the Maratha king who took on the Mughal Empire and established a sovereign kingdom. The reference was all the more significant as Swami Govind Dev spoke of Samarth Guru Ramdas, regarded as Shivaji’s preceptor, and described Shivaji as “Shrimant Yogi (rich in Yogic qualities)”. The barest inflection indicated Modi has understood the allusion. Guru Ramdas is credited with shaping Shivaji’s vision of a “Hindavi Swaraj” that stood not only for free­dom from Mughal rule and protection of dharma but also for just and equitable governance. The addresses by Swami Govind Dev and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat summed up the sentiment, hailing Modi as a “tapasvi (ascetic) prime minister”. As he stood before an assembled cast of hundreds of sadhus and sants, the prime minister received the blessings of the saffron host for fulfilling the continued efforts to rebuild the Ram Mandir almost from the day it was brought down in 1528 CE. The day was inevitable ever since the Supreme Court settled the title suit in favour of Ram Lalla (infant Ram) by a unanimous ruling in November 2019. Yet, the flower-bedecked columns of the temple and its lofty architecture brought home the enormity of the achievement. Some of the temple’s disputants are unlikely to accept the legal and moral validity of the Ram Mandir. But a contentious page of India’s history has been irrevocably turned, and the outpouring of joy, reverence and faith across the country lent credence to Modi’s confident assertion that the “kal chakra (wheel of time)” was changing. “Dev se desh, Ram se Rashtra (From god to country, from Ram to nation),” he said.

Explaining the significance of the prime minister being the ya­jman, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar said. “The yajman is a person on whose behalf the puja is conduct­ed. Since the prime minister could not be present the entire time (several days of preparatory prayers) there were others designated as yajmans too.”

The rush of sadhus who entered the temple as soon as the public addresses were over spoke for itself. This was what they had waited for and many had travelled from distant places, rep­resenting an array of sects. They walked right through the halls without pausing for even a second to take in the inlay on the pillars or the sculptures that adorn the ceiling. Their eyes, and in many cases mobile cameras, were fixed dead ahead where, some 20 feet behind an extended rope, stood the five-year-old boy Ram, a small smile playing across his face. The dark complexioned idol is a perfect representation of emotions invoked by countless tradi­tional tellings of the Ramayana. Known by his myriad names, the Lord stood on his new pedestal while the older idol of infant Ram, for long sheltered in makeshift residences, was placed in front. While there were hundreds of holy men in attendance inside the temple, there were thousands outside on the streets around the Ram Mandir complex. They, too, had travelled long distances and many had just walked their way to Ayodhya, driven by the call of faith and the promise of attainment and a fulfilment of desti­ny. They were not present inside the premises of the temple on January 22 but thronged the gates the day after, determined not to leave without a cherished darshan (worship) of the Lord. The anticipation had built up in the day preceding the inauguration of the temple, as lakhs reached Ayodhya despite appeals to pray at their places of residence and stagger visits to the temple city. The crowds milling around the Ram Path leading to the temple and the Bhakti Path that is a passage to the ancient Hanuman Garhi temple were infused with piety and celebration, chanting the name of the Lord and raising cries of “Jai Shri Ram!” A day ahead of the Mandir event, there was no standing space outside Hanu­man Garhi where an unending stream of devotees walked up to the temple’s narrow entrance. In a city replete with temples and places tied to the Ramayana story, it was only appropriate that Ram’s loyal companion should attract such attention. It would be a few days before the doors of the Ram Mandir would be open to the public and bowing before Ram’s “pradhan sevak (prime serv­ant)” needed no prompts. Social celebrities and sadhus stood at Hanuman Garhi, a rare occasion when they brushed shoulders, joined in a common quest as well as a shared desire to capture the day in selfies.

The 35 minutes that Modi spoke were centred on spelling out a vision of what the temple represents, and in answering the question he chose to pose: The temple was complete… what next? The prime minister began by underlining the obvious that the Lord would no longer live in a tent and would now be housed in a grand temple in his honour. It was a fact that needed itera­tion on the given occasion. But then, in a clear indication that the temple does not figure only in some immediate political calcula­tion, Modi spelt out the larger canvas of the project. He made an evocative case for Ram as a cultural unifier, rejecting the claim of the temple’s opponents that it was a cause for discord. Without elaborating or using sectarian descriptors, the prime minister said Ram belongs to everyone and represents the civilisational soul of the nation. Outlining 16 themes in a concise yet explanatory manner, he spoke of the temple representing the unshackling of the chains of mental slavery and creation of a new history. His allusion to a rejection of a Left-inspired view of India and an un­apologetic advocacy of a ‘nationalistic’ renaissance was obvious. He did not dwell much on this and called on people to light oil lamps to celebrate the day. He spoke of the significance of his vis­its to temples and pilgrimage spots deeply linked to the story of Ram and reminded his audience of how pervasive faith in the Lord is. He acknowledged the sacrifices of Ram bhakts, and then outlined his main message—that the rise of the Ram Mandir is a sign of a future much better than the past. He said the day was a message to doubters and critics of the temple that they failed to understand the belief and faith of millions. The implied con­clusion that their arguments failed to pass muster with either the courts or the people, and were exposed over time, could not have been missed. “This is not just a divine temple. It is a temple of India’s vision, philosophy, and direction. It is a temple of national consciousness in the form of Ram,” he said. The prime minister’s remarks, as also RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address, contained a message to end strife and move on, said Kumar. “There was a forget-and-forgive message and a call for unity. This was the crux of their speeches,” he said. The succinct but powerful adjectives describing the universality of Ram, the calling on people to pledge themselves to building a capable and confident India and a tribute to the power of the collective will were an extraordinary exercise in political communication without being overtly so.

THERE IS LITTLE doubt that the temple has moved the masses. The streets of Ayodhya were witness to small and large knots of men and women (sometimes just women, too) who were close to religious ecstasy. Their ordinary faces lit with the light of their faith, the iteration of “Jai Shri Ram” painted on their foreheads was a visible flourish. With single-minded purpose, they walked up the Ram Path. Held back till the inau­guration was over, lakhs swarmed the temple entrances the day after. They were joined by thousands from nearby areas despite the efforts of the police to prevent entry into the city for a few days. Hours after the January 22 consecration and the public ad­dresses were over, and dusk began to settle, fireworks went off on the streets and a dazzling incendiary show erupted on the ghats of the Sarayu river. Almost as an omen, the day had been clear and sunny, bathing the Ram Mandir in a warm winter glow. As afternoon gave way to dusk, the bone chilling cold of the north Indian plains took hold but failed to deter festivities. There was prasad (offerings) being distributed at the city’s many temples and people walking around handed out sweets to friends and strangers alike. The bhojnalayas (restaurants) typical of the place were overflowing with diners and cooks worked over time with cooking fires burning bright. The shops selling Ram Mandir-re­lated merchandise—flags bearing the image of the temple, Ram and Hanuman, or inscribed with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and clothes and kurtas with the name of the Lord written over—did brisk busi­ness. A local shop that delivered statues had many of Hanuman ready for dispatch.

There were babas and sants of all hues. Some smeared with ash presented an arresting sight while a long-maned one astride a motorcycle, who has made a name for himself as ‘Bullet Baba’, had driven from Indore and was surrounded by people looking to take selfies. A set of people claiming to be from Nepal said they had come to their “brother-in-law’s house” since they represent­ed Sita’s native place. The Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, a regular spot for television crews looking for footage of enthusiastic Ram bhakts, might have become a common sight on television but has now etched an identity and achieved fame that was not the case till a couple of weeks ago. Unlike some other rivers, even prominent ones, the flow of the Sarayu is generous, and bobbing up and down are boats that take visitors on rides. Rigged with saffron flags, the boats look like a small armada tethered to the banks. The waters are cold but the midday warmth provides the opportunity for a sail. A little away from the river, in its chan­nel running parallel, is the stage for television studios and the live coverage of events and discussions. There are media crews everywhere, taking photographs, filming shots, and recording bites while there is no count of the number of YouTubers and vloggers moving around with mobiles mounted on plastic sticks and holders. At regular intervals there are groups of people hud­dled around fires that keep the cold at bay. No one wants to be indoors and miss the mood and pageantry. The loudspeakers are still playing the anticipatory “Ram ayenge… (Ram will arrive)” songs, but there is a change in sentiment too with renditions marking the return of the prince of Ayodhya.

The crush on the streets is only a sign of things to come. Though the tourist infrastructure in the city has grown, it is struggling to meet the demand. A fellow diner at an eatery said the rates had touched `1 lakh a room in some of the better locat­ed hotels. Local residents are more than pleased. They point to instances of sudden wealth and even the accompanying pitfalls. Some of those who were handsomely compensated for the ac­quisition of their lands for the construction of the new airport have been careless with the money. But there is also an aware­ness that land rates will rise, with discussion centring round Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan’s purchase of a plot for `14 crore. There is certainty that the purchase entails a commer­cial aspect and there is talk of a luxury hotel. Residents now feel that it would be wiser to hold on to their land and even consider setting up businesses that provide steady returns. Surely, the government will facilitate loans, they reckon. The airport is cur­rently operating on a modest scale but has made an immediate difference, handling more than 100 charters on the day of the inauguration. Two airlines are serving the city at present and are a significant enhancement of connectivity from cities like Delhi and Mumbai. Phase I is complete and expansion is on the cards, promising to make Ayodhya a very busy destination.

THE LENGTHY RULINGS of the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court provide the detail of the long legal history of the Ayodhya case and claims and counter-claims of contestants. Outside the courts, there have been moments when a solution seemed likely, but the instant slipped away, often due to intransigent public positions and the pressure of political and religious lobbies. The litigants opposed to the temple were not unaware that the arguments on the title suit could go against them, all the more after the high court rubbished the so-called leftist historians report on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and recognised the rights of Ram Lalla as a juristic entity. It might have been best for Hindu and Muslim religious figures to have arrived at a resolution in recognition of the larger benefit of amity between the communities. In the event, it was the Supreme Court that bit the bullet and delivered a much-awaited judgment. It would have done the credibility of the highest court no good if it had failed to pronounce such an important verdict. The Ram Mandir is now at the centre of the Hindu faith and a national calling. It can be hoped that over time the rougher edges of inter-religious sentiments will soften, making way for greater accommodation and peace. The Ram Mandir is now emblazoned as an emblem of India’s civilisational identity and a source of unity and common purpose that rises above social schisms.

The temple is a emphatic statement of political resolve as well, with Modi having shown a single-minded determination in ful­filling the covenant the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar made with the people. The design of the temple and the subject of the murals and the smaller ring of seven temples that will come up around the complex will further demonstrate an in­clusive social vision. A south Indian-style temple planned near the main public entrance will make people from distant geographies feel at home as well. In the past, the previous BJP-led government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee did look for solutions but was hampered by a coalition and legal battles. BJP planned to take up the temple afresh but lost the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. This led to a hiatus of 10 years. The Modi government has answered taunts that BJP has been unable to announce the date of construction of the temple (mandir wahin banaenge, per date nahin bataenge) decisively. Its law officers pursued the matter actively until a chief justice agreed to dispose of the case. Today, quibbling over the opinions of some Shankaracharyas or claims that the temple is ‘incomplete’ have lost all relevance. The splendid masonry of the temples stood re­vealed in its eminence on the auspicious day of January 22. It is now imprinted indelibly in the nation’s consciousness..

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