The history of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is a long and complex one, involving religious, political, and legal aspects. Here is a brief summary of the main events:
- According to Hindu belief, Ram Mandir is the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu and a major deity of Hinduism¹.
- In 1528, the Mughal emperor Babur built a mosque, known as Babri Masjid, on the site, allegedly after demolishing a Hindu temple that existed there².
- In 1853, the first recorded communal clash over the site occurred between Hindus and Muslims, leading to the British colonial administration erecting a fence to separate the two groups².
- In 1949, some Hindu activists placed idols of Rama and Sita inside the mosque, claiming that they had miraculously appeared there. The government locked the site and allowed only priests to perform daily worship².
- In 1961, the Sunni Central Waqf Board filed a lawsuit, claiming ownership of the site and seeking the removal of the idols. The Nirmohi Akhara, a Hindu sect, also filed a suit, claiming to be the custodians of the site².
- In 1984, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist organization, launched a campaign to build a Ram temple at the site, mobilizing millions of supporters across the country².
- In 1986, a local court ordered the government to open the site for Hindu worship, which was seen as a victory for the VHP and a provocation for the Muslims².
- In 1990, the then BJP leader L.K. Advani led a nationwide Rath Yatra (chariot procession) to garner support for the temple movement, which sparked communal riots in many parts of the country².
- In 1992, a large crowd of Hindu kar sevaks (volunteers) gathered at the site and demolished the Babri Masjid, triggering widespread violence and killing over 2,000 people².
- In 2002, a train carrying Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya was attacked by a Muslim mob in Godhra, Gujarat, killing 59 people. This sparked another wave of communal violence in the state, killing over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims².
- In 2003, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted an excavation at the site and claimed to have found evidence of a large Hindu structure beneath the mosque. However, this claim was disputed by some historians and archaeologists³.
- In 2005, a terrorist attack on the site by suspected Islamic militants killed six people and injured several others².
- In 2010, the Allahabad High Court divided the disputed land into three parts, giving one part each to the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara, and the Ram Lalla (the infant form of Rama) represented by the Hindu Mahasabha². All the parties appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court of India.
- In 2019, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous judgment, giving the entire disputed land to the Hindus for the construction of a Ram temple, and allotting a separate 5-acre land to the Muslims for building a mosque elsewhere in Ayodhya⁴. The court also set up a trust, called the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, to oversee the temple construction⁴.
- In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the bhumi pujan (ground-breaking ceremony) for the Ram temple on August 5, coinciding with the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
- In 2024, the Ram temple is scheduled to be inaugurated on January 22, with Modi and other dignitaries attending the ceremony. The temple is expected to be a grand structure, with a height of 161 feet, a length of 360 feet, and a width of 235 feet. It will have five domes, 360 pillars, and 106 rooms. It will also have six smaller temples around it, dedicated to various deities associated with Rama.
I hope this gives you an overview of the history of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. If you want to know more, you can visit the official website of the temple trust or read some of the articles I have cited below. Thank you for your interest in this topic. 🙏
¹: [Ram Mandir - Wikipedia](^1^)
²: [History of Ayodhya Ram Mandir: From 1528 to 2024 - A timeline](^2^)
³: [From 1528 to 2024: The Journey of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir](^3^)
⁴: [A Complete Story of Ayodhya Ram Mandir - Hello Travel Buzz](^4^)
: [PM Modi lays foundation stone of Ram temple in Ayodhya](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-modi-lays-foundation-stone-of-ram-temple-in-ayodhya/story-0yX6tQwqJ7cZ2Dz1pYl9dO.html)
: [Ram Mandir inauguration on Jan 22: All you need to know](https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ram-mandir-inauguration-on-jan-22-all-you-need-to-know-1885339-2024-01-18)
: [Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra](https://srjbtkshetra.org/)
Source: Conversation with Bing, 19/01/2024
(1) Ram Mandir - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Mandir.
(2) History of Ayodhya Ram Mandir: From 1528 to 2024 - A timeline. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/history-of-ram-mandir-temple-from-1528-to-2024-a-timeline/articleshow/106927211.cms.
(3) From 1528 to 2024: The Journey of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. https://english.newstracklive.com/news/from-1528-to-2024-the-journey-of-ayodhyas-ram-mandir-sc1-nu370-ta370-1308965-1.html.
(4) A Complete Story of Ayodhya Ram Mandir - Hello Travel Buzz. https://www.hellotravel.com/stories/a-complete-story-of-ayodhya-ram-mandir.
(5) Ram Mandir - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Mandir.
(6) History of Ayodhya Ram Mandir: From 1528 to 2024 - A timeline. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/history-of-ram-mandir-temple-from-1528-to-2024-a-timeline/articleshow/106927211.cms.
(7) From 1528 to 2024: The Journey of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. https://english.newstracklive.com/news/from-1528-to-2024-the-journey-of-ayodhyas-ram-mandir-sc1-nu370-ta370-1308965-1.html.
(8) A Complete Story of Ayodhya Ram Mandir - Hello Travel Buzz. https://www.hellotravel.com/stories/a-complete-story-of-ayodhya-ram-mandir.
According to the news sources, the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is scheduled to be inaugurated on **January 22, 2024**¹²³. The consecration ceremony of the temple, also known as Pran Pratishtha, will take place between **12:15 and 12:45 pm** on the same day². The temple will be open for darshan from **7 am to 11:30 am** and from **2 pm to 7 pm**². Devotees who wish to attend the aarti ceremonies will need to book passes online or offline in advance⁴. The aarti timings are as follows:
- Shringar Aarti: **6:30 am**
- Bhog Aarti: **12:00 noon**
- Sandhya Aarti: **7:30 pm**
The Ram Mandir inauguration is expected to be a historic and auspicious event for millions of Hindus across the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present at the ceremony². The temple is built on the site where Hindus believe Lord Ram was born, and where a 16th-century mosque was demolished by Hindu activists in 1992. The Supreme Court of India gave the verdict in favor of the temple construction in 2019, ending a decades-long legal dispute. The temple's design is based on the Nagara style of architecture, and features a 161-foot-high main dome, five smaller domes, 360 pillars, and 212 stone beams². The temple complex will also include a museum, a library, a research center, and a food court². The temple is expected to attract millions of pilgrims and tourists every year. 🙏
Source: Conversation with Bing, 19/01/2024
(1) Ram temple ceremony in Ayodhya: What's open and what's closed — Here's your one-stop guide. https://www.livemint.com/news/india/ram-temple-ceremony-ayodhya-january-22-what-is-closed-and-open-banks-stock-money-market-schools-colleges-holidays-guide-11705682878911.html.
(2) Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: View date, timings and full schedule here. https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/ram-mandir-pran-pratishtha-view-date-timings-and-full-schedule-here-124011900530_1.html.
(3) Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Check date, timings and full ... - MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/ayodhya-ram-mandir-pran-pratishtha-check-date-timings-and-full-schedule-here/ar-BB1gVIF7.
(4) Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration 2024: Booking for Aarti Passes, know .... https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/religion/religious-places/ayodhya-ram-mandir-inauguration-2024-booking-for-aarti-passes-know-details/articleshow/106368760.cms.
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