'Ram Katha Museum in Ayodhya to display history of temple movement, artefacts found during excavation': Nripendra Mishra

The International Ram Katha Museum in Ayodhya on the banks of the Sarayu will display statues and artefacts found during the excavation at the temple site and also depict the history of the movement, Ram temple Construction Committee Chairperson Nripendra Mishra has said.

A special cell will also be created presenting the details of the legal, political and religious journey of this movement, he said. 

In an interview to PTI Video, Mishra, a former principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the museum has been leased to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

'Some items were discovered during the excavation done by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and some were found during the excavation done for the temple construction work. They have been kept very safely... Some are protected by court orders, and some are kept safe by the trust,' Mishra said.

He said with the permission from the ASI, all these idols and relics would be displayed in the museum.

'There will be different sections in the museum. One section will have items found during excavation and construction work. Another section will present a detailed account of the legal, political, and religious journey of more than 500 years, as highlighted by the Supreme Court's verdict in 2019,' he said.  In November 2019, the Supreme Court had directed the Central government to establish a trust for the construction of the temple within three months. Following this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on February 5, 2020. Mishra is a member of this trust and also the Chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee.

Mishra explained that one section of the museum would provide details about the exile of Lord Ram and various versions of the Ramayana in different languages, while another section would focus on stories related to the international significance of Lord Ram.

Initially, the plan was to construct a museum within the temple premises, but a museum was available with the state government.  'The state government has given the museum premises, the work will start soon,' Mishra said.  In 2019, the Supreme Court had allocated a five-acre plot in Ayodhya to the Sunni Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque at a different location in Ayodhya.

When asked about the progress of temple construction compared to the mosque, Mishra said, 'Two separate organizations are overseeing the temple and mosque construction, and there is no direct intervention by the state or central government.' He further explained, 'The trust is working on the temple construction, and there is an organisation handling the mosque and related plans.' He said he has read newspapers reports that there have been some delays in compliance with regulations and approval of plans.

'As of now, I have informally learned that there are no obstacles, and they will commence construction soon,' he added.