"ek bharoso, ek bal, ek aas-biswas;
ek ram-ghamshyam hit chaatak tulsidas."
I will start with my own personal association with the concept of Ram and some of my reactions to what is happening or rather what has been happening in Ram's name and also in my (and other Hindu's) name. My earliest memories are sweet, innocent, set in a small house, with my grandmother, in my ancestral village, next to Bhubaneswar. Ramayana - the story of Lord Ram was my first education and thankfully in my mother tongue Odiya which I learnt from my grandparents and parents. My grandmother and I used to sit together and go through this illustrated book with beautiful drawings of different events of the Lord's life and next to these pictures were rhyming couplets in large fonts, which are firmly imprinted in my memory. There was a similar book on Mahabharata too. I loved these stories and gulped them down with an eagerness only a kid of that age could have. My grandparents were very proud of my interest and most likely my memory of mythology. I remember on one occasion, my grandfather and his friends, well into their late sixties and seventies, could not resolve a contentious issue among them related to mythology - "who was the son of who" or "who was the wife or who" kind of stuff. These were days when Google wasn't there. I was called in proudly by my grandfather, to give my opinion on what I thought was the right answer till someone fetched a book to check the facts. No sooner had they finished the question and much before that gentleman could search the book I had given my verdict from my memory. So much for #rotelearning. I had no formal education in Odiya after that. Oh, I was correct by the way!
I revisited Ram and his story from different perspectives in school and in college. Delving a bit deeper into the aspects of his conduct as an ideal human being. Reading the works of saints and poets such as Valmiki, Tulsi, Kabir and others. The concept of Lord Ram as the perfect man "maryada purushottam", an avatara with a definitive purpose to show human beings how to live and conduct them selves; whose acts, behaviour and character was held up high there for all of us to emulate. It was the ideal that one had to strive for and I was always an idealist. So, no matter how low and hard one fell from those standards; how far one was from those lofty goals and how many times one failed, those were the indisputable and perfect standards. One also read some alternative perspectives, especially about the Lord take some untruthful measures for attainment of truth like his killing of Bali in the battle with Sugriva, Mother Sita's test of purity by the fire and subsequent treatment of Lord's own children Lava and Kusha. But, mainstream perspectives are mainstream for the same reason always - they are the dominant majority (mark these two words).
Anyway, the ideal remained where it should be and my life flowed with further studies, work, travel, relationships and experiences. I was not too particular about rituals, though I carried my set of Gods (small pictures) wherever I travelled; which was quite often in early days of my consulting carrier. That was the reason I always carried my shoes in a separate bag; something my colleagues often made fun of. I was reading a lot of books on spiritualism, duality, personal and impersonal God, God with form and without form etc. Ram remained a central figure though and whenever I prayed I did invoke shlokas and couplets from Ramcharitmanas. A sense of balance, a source of guidance when one was in doubt. "jehi vidhi rahe Ram, tehi vidhi rahiye" (do as the Lord would do!). Not that one always did. Sometimes the will wasn't strong enough, sometimes one gave into indolence and more often than not it was the temptations one could not resist. However, the deeper meanings of the stories and tales of Lord were revealed to me through my readings and I often visualised the peaceful image of Lord with Mother Sita, brothers and Hanuman for my attempts at chanting, praying and meditating.
I made a visit to Ayodhya in 2008. It was a short, solo train trip from Lucknow and I so wanted to visit this place which was in the centre of such divisive politics, communal violence and controversy. I was vaguely aware of the Babri Masjid demolition, the physical act, the political agenda behind it and the violence it incited in the aftermath. The indecisiveness of courts, the continuous whipping up of the issue for political benefits and the stall mate throughout the subsequent years either made me ignore the matter for the sheer spectacle it had become or brought my focus to the more personal and spiritual side of my faith. By this time, I did not go to a holy place just to fulfil some rituals, pray for specific things, appreciate the architecture or location or have the prasad. It was all of the above but also seeking a deeper connection with all those seekers who have come to these places with so much faith, positive thoughts and devotion, ultimately seeking more insight and realisation for me. I have this habit of meandering a bit before coming to point. So, I went around the 'tourist spots' of the city such as Hanuman garhi, the ghats etc. It was extremely hot and humid and I could find solace and respite only when I had a stomach full of nice and simple food for lunch at 'Sita Rasoi'.
As I moved to the site of 'Ram Lalla', it was natural to have a great sense of expectation build up, simply due to sheer amount of press, politics and power associated with this spot. Well, my first impression was that was of an army camp or a security fortress. There were so many layers of security and it was so rigorous that it was difficult to feel spiritual or religious at that time. It was not the crowds; that any average Indian is used to at famous temples and pilgrimage sites. The security at every check-point were alert, they did their job fastidiously and at some point we had to even deposit our wallet! This was serious now: since in most temples, you may not be allowed belts, leather watches but the priests always allowed the wallets and purses. You know why.
Anyway, I made my way through, touched one after another bulky, brusque and smelly security personnel. I could count upto five of them and after that I was like "okay, whatever". I finally neared the sacred spot and no sooner had a chance to look at the idol, I was whisked away. Again, this is not new to an Indian, pilgrim who stands in long, serpentine lines to catch a glimpse of his beloved and revered diety. The wait, the anticipation, all add to the uniqueness and divineness of the moment he comes face to face with the Lord. He often sings, chants, concentrates during his wait, so that the wait and then the "darshan" are all a part of unbroken experience that he will cherish. It was difficult to do that here. With so many interruptions by the security and more importantly with your attention being more focussed on the site, the controversy, the socio-political and religious tension about the whole matter, it was difficult to concentrate on the Lord himself in the "sanctum sanctorum" of one's heart. I wrapped up my visit with some wonderful samosas, chai and other snacks before heading back to my hotel in Lucknow.
I have often wondered ever since, would it not have been better if all the money that has been spent so far in litigations, propaganda, campaigns and all the money that will be spent in future on temple or mosque, would have been better spent on a large charitable hospital or school where people and children of all faith could come and benefit from the services of health and/or education. Lord Ram or Allah would not have been happier? But such arguments and logics have always been brushed aside by more serious sounding arguments in favour of defence spendings, building large statues, renaming roads, cities etc. "They are not the same thing" or worse "this is of national importance" is the retort one gets. As if affordable education and health are not. But who cares about such softer, non-populist and non-newsworthy initiatives/projects. So, my thoughts remained with me.
Few years later, I travelled to the beautiful town of Orchha in the Bundelkhand region, where the Lord is not worshipped as much as God as the ruler of the place - Raja Ram. The government, the law and order and rules are all in the name of Lord - Raja Ram Sarkar ! A simple village woman sitting next to me on a beautiful evening while we were watching the sun go down between the black Chhatris (cenotaph) remarked "Sat nahin rehto bhaisaab, Ram kahan rahen", (there is no truth, where would Lord be!) when I asked if any of these small temples had the idol of Ram in it. I can not forget the truth in her eyes and words. I spent the rest of the evening in a beautiful aarti at the Raja Ram temple.
The Supreme Court's final judgement on the matter came in 2019 and everyone said we will welcome the court's judgement. Frankly, what other option anyone had! The temple will be built by Government of India at the contested site of Ram Janmbhoomi by and an alternative site will be given to Sunni Waqf board for mosque. How this judgement completely abrogates the judgement of Allahabad high court, which in 2010 ordered the disputed site to be shared equally in three parts with 1/3rd each going to Ram Lalla represented by Hindu Mahasabha, the Waqf board and Nirmohi Amhara within a matter of nine years and in light of what new facts, evidence and witness and how new party i.e. the government of India comes into the picture, is something more learned and legally-well-versed friends would know. But the writing is on the wall - probably a wall built by bricks of some other wall which was brought down.
Now, Supreme Court could decide upon things such as who had the land rights, who had the "papers", whether the Babri masjid was build upon a 'indigenous structure', whether the temple was built upon something else etc. But, it only went as far as calling the demolition of Babri masjid in 1992 "a violation of law". A ghastly incident which in it's aftermath claimed around 2000 lives at different locations in the country; both Muslims and Hindus. Should those who were responsible for the act that instigated so much communal violence and hatred not be brought to justice? Should there not be a closure to that indisputable act with this judgement?
It is not as if there has not been enquiries into that aspect. There was Justice Liberian commission who found around 68 people clearly complicit including the senior most leaders of the BJP. The commission took 16 years and around 400 sittings to come to a report! How many more years are going to take for any action to be taken? Many of those were and some are still presiding over serious matters of our state - home affairs, defence, education etc. Isn't the absurdity obvious.
Seems so far away from Ram or Ram Lalla isn't it. Who was Ram? The inimitable Kabir talks about four kinds of Ram:
"ek Ram Dasrath ka beta, ek Ram ghat ghat mein baitha,
Teeje Ram ka sakal pasara, chautha Ram sab se nyaara!"
There is a Ram that we all know as son of king Dasarath, the husband of Sita, the brother of Lakshaman, father of Lav-Kush. Would he want this piece of Land? He who did not think even twice before leaving his entire kingdom (this very Ayodhya), crown, comforts of palace and love of his citizen before venturing into the jungle to live a life of austerity and simplicity. Who travelled all through this land (all over India) you have places like Chitrakoot, Panchavati etc. with stories of Sita rasoi, sita-kund etc. and finally conquered the ten-headed Ravana with help of monkey-soilders. Raja Ram, who as king was so concerned about the apprehensions of a common citizen like a dhobi (washerman), even about someone as close and powerful as the Queen Mother Sita, that he ensured that his concerns are addressed. Would he have approved of getting any land like this? Much less something in his name?
The second Ram, says Kabir is residing in every corner, every heart, every life. He is all-pervading, omnipresent and is not bound by the constraints of time and space. Someone like that could not be bothered with a particular piece of land, a temple or any architecture for that matter. What different does it make to him?
The third Ram is the energy, is the light behind all living and non-living beings. From him come all, and he is at the atomic, sub-atomic level same with all things and all beings. He is present in all things at all time, changing, transforming from one form of energy to another. Even death or life, destruction or creation have no significance for him. Surely not for him.
The fourth Ram, Kabir says, is different and special to everything else. He is beyond the experience of what we know thorough our ten senses, he is beyond the reach of words, poetry and imagination, he is inscrutable by intellect and rituals. So, I won't delve more into that as even the great Kabir simply leaves as " sabse nyaara", how do you describe a realisation to someone who don't have any comparable experiences to understand the same. This Ram would need a particular piece of land? Someone who is neither born, nor dead; who was there and who will be there always. What significant does a particular avatara's so called birth place have for him?
Okay, then comes the classic response. "Not for God. We stand for him. In his name! In his followers name". Now, I don't have to repeat how many millions of lives have been lost to countless wars and bloodbath we have seen in this world in the name of [ xx something YY]. So, I do not want to listen this was in my name - as a Hindu, as a devotee of Ram. I was not asked what I wanted. I rest my case.
