PM Modi still plans to attend Ram Temple 'bhoomi pujan'; has Covid-19 marred a historic moment?

The guest list includes veteran BJP leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Advani and Joshi will not visit Ayodhya because of the pandemic and security issues. They are expected to attend the event via video-conferencing.

Iqbal Ansari, son of the oldest Babri litigant Hashim Ansari, has been invited to attend the ceremony. Ansari will present a copy of Ram Charit Manas (Hindu epic authored by Tulsidas) and 'Ramnami' (a scarf with the name of Lord Rama written all over) to the prime minister.

BJP National Vice President Uma Bharti cited the need to control Covid-19 as the reason behind her decision not to join the prime minister at the 'bhoomi pujan'. The 61-year-old senior BJP leader was among the leaders of the Ram Janambhoomi agitation and is an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: Uma Bharti to not attend Ram Temple 'bhoomi pujan', says concerned about PM Modi's health

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is set to visit Ayodhya to review the preparations. On March 25, Adityanath moved the idol of 'Ramalala' to a temporary structure near Manas Bhawan of the temple campus. He said in a tweet that he had made a Rs 11 lakh contribution for the construction of the structure.

A landmark ruling

The Supreme Court ruled last November in favour of a temple being built on the site. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple. In a unanimous verdict, the apex court also directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque.

Ayodhya is ready

Many parts of Ayodhya are lit up to celebrate the event and the arrival of the prime minister. Fences are adorned with fresh paintings of Lord Ram all over the district. A special dress has been stitched for Ram Lalla with nine gems using golden thread by brothers Shankarlal and Bhagwatlal 'Pahaadhi', who have been stitching clothes for Ram Lalla in Ayodhya for the past three and a half decades.

Credit: PTI Photos

Special earthen lamps have been made ahead of the occasion. An earthen pot maker told ANI, “We've received an order to make 1.25 lakh earthen lamps. There are around 40 families in this village, so we've divided the work among us."

Asha, a Prayagraj-based firm decided to install loudspeakers in Ayodhya for free. Asha Director Praveen Malviya said, "Around 3,000 loudspeakers will be installed in Ayodhya and Faizabad. We are not charging a single rupee."

Ranjit Mandal, a sculptor from Assam is making statues to depict Lord Ram's journey from childhood to coronation. His statues will be placed in the courtyard of the Ram Temple. "I cannot express my happiness," Ranjit told ANI. "I started this work in 2013."

Ayodhya: Ranjit Mandal, a sculptor from Assam is making statues depicting Lord Ram's journey from childhood till coronation. His statues will be placed at courtyard of #RamTemple.

He says, "I cannot express my happiness. I started this work in 2013." pic.twitter.com/SIEu99ER5L

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 2, 2020

A previous Ram Mandir model showcased at the Kumbh Mela festival 2019 in Allahabad. Credit: PTI Photo

The first phase of the new Ayodhya station, modelled on the Ram Temple, will be completed by June of next year and it will provide state-of-the-art facilities for passengers travelling to the birthplace of Lord Ram, the Railways said on Sunday.

In the first phase, the development work on platform number 1, 2 and 3, development of the current circulating area and holding area will be completed, according to Northern Railway General Manager Rajiv Chaudhary. The design of the railway station temple complete with domes, tall 'shikharas' and towering pillars has been conceptualised with the temple town in mind. Once completed, the station will have a built-up area of 1,00,000 square feet.

A moment in history

“With the construction of this temple, the nationality of Indians cannot be now linked to any foreign invader and it will be defined by the inspiring narratives of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the nation such as Lord Shri Ram," said Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Central Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain.

"This will also be a foundation stone of Ram Rajya in the country," Chaupal, a key figure of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and a Dalit member of the trust, told PTI. "Ram's life encapsulates the values of social harmony and brotherhood. The temple will foster these values in our society."

Muslim devotees of Lord Ram also geared up to celebrate the historic ceremony. Wasi Haider, a native of Faizabad, said, "We believe in the fundamentals of Islam and we practice Islam, but we also believe that Lord Ram was our ancestor. It will be great that we will witness the construction of the Ram Temple."

The Opposition parties

After Jawaharlal Nehru's initial opposition, the Congress government at the Centre made its biggest move when it dismissed four BJP-ruled state governments in 1992, under P V Narasimha Rao's rule, following the demolition of the Babri Masjid during a 'kar seva' led by Hindutva organisations.

Fast-forwarding through 27 years of conflict, the Congress now backs the top court's verdict barring a few leaders. Even Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet, "While respecting the court's decision, we all have to maintain mutual harmony. This is the time for bondage, faith and love among all of us Indians."

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress Rajya Sabha Member Digvijaya Singh quoted Shankaracharya of Dwarka and Joshimath of the Hindu (Sanatan) religion and said that the timing or muhurta of the ceremony was inauspicious. Replying to Acharya Pramod's tweet, he said, "Do not know how many Ayodhya residents will get infected with corona. Rules should be one for all."

"Attending Bhumi Pujan in official capacity will be a violation of @PMOIndia‘s constitutional oath," said AIMM chief and Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi in a tweet. "Secularism is part of the Basic Structure of Constitution. We can’t forget that for over 400 years Babri stood in Ayodhya & it was demolished by a criminal mob in 1992."

Meanwhile, MP party chief Kamal Nath said that he will host a recital of 'Hanuman Chalisa' at his residence on Tuesday, a day before the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ram Temple construction.

What about the Shiv Sena?

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said the Ram Temple groundbreaking ceremony could be conducted through a video-conference due to the pandemic. Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, said that he could go to Ayodhya for the ceremony but he asked if lakhs of 'Ram bhakts' could be stopped from going there.

The Shiv Sena honoured its commitment with a transfer of Rs 1 crore to the trust overseeing the construction of the Ram Temple, a senior party leader said.

On July 21, party MP Sanjay Raut said that Uddhav Thackeray would definitely attend the groundbreaking ceremony.

Donations and gifts

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, mandated by the Central Government to oversee the construction after the Supreme Court ruling in November, planned the 'bhoomi pujan'. Donations for the construction would be accepted from all communities, according to a member of the Trust.

Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swami, head of Udupi-based Pejawar Mutt in Karnataka, who attended a recent virtual Trust meeting, said that it was suggested that a sum of Rs 10 per head be collected and Rs 100 from a household as part of the resource mobilisation efforts. "It's just a suggestion, it's not like tax. It's kind of a road map for people who are desirous of participating in the construction of the Mandir," the seer told PTI.

Ram's message far and wide

The Karnataka unit of the VHP said that water from various rivers and soil from religious places in Karnataka had been sent for the construction.

Images of Lord Ram and 3D portraits of the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be beamed across giant billboards in the iconic Times Square in New York City.

The Delhi BJP will install giant LED screens across the city for people to watch the groundbreaking ceremony.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)