Special on the first anniversary of the consecration of Shri Ram Temple
Bhopal
That Abhijeet Muhurta was wonderful, unimaginable and unforgettable, when the plaques were removed from Ramlala’s eyes after consecrating his life, there were tears of reverence, faith, joy and waiting in the eyes of the devotees of Sanatan culture all over the world. Paush Shukla Dwadashi, 22 January 2024 is not only a day of celebration of the consecration of the grand Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya, but also a day of achievement of change in the vision and thoughts of the entire Hindu society. After generations of penance, renunciation, sacrifice and waiting, Ayodhya had welcomed this auspicious moment.
This is the same Ayodhya, happy and excited by the consecration of the life of Lord Shri Ram, in whose introduction it is mentioned in the Atharva Veda that –
Devana Pu: Ayodhya by Ashta Chakra Nav.
Tasya Hiranyamayah Kosh Swargo Jyotishavritah.
Ayodhya, which means one who is invincible, undefeated. Ayodhya remained known for its golden history for thousands of years. The same Ayodhya where the worshiper of Hindu society Shri Ram ji was born for the welfare of the entire world. That is why Goswami Tulsidas ji describes Ayodhya in this way –
Vipra Dhenu Sur Sant Hit Linh Manuj Avtaar.
Lord, created by my own will, transcends Maya and Guna.
Shri Ram Temple, which was the center of faith of the Hindu society and gave a sense of harmony, morality and duty, was later demolished and Babri Masjid was built by the Mughal invaders as a symbol of slavery. After this, the Shri Ram Mandir movement, which started in 1528, came to an end on the historic decision of the Supreme Court on 9 November 2019. On August 5, 2020, crores of people expressed their feelings in various ways along with Bhoomi Pujan.
This was a movement in which sages and saints not only fought but also became centers of spiritual awakening. Bairagi Abhiram Das (Warrior Sadhu), Mahant Ramchandra Paramhans, the leading man of Ram Mandir movement, Mahant Avaidyanath and Devraha Baba provided a direction to the entire movement. How can Hindu society forget the sacrifice of the Kothari brothers? Vishnu Dalmia, Ashok Sinhal are those rays of light who stored the eternal energy and connected it to this sacred work.
Everyone is well aware of the role of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the origin of the temple movement. The workers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh gave a worldwide form to the highest standards of faith by creating public awareness in the entire movement. All the organizations of Vichar Parivar including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, patiently planned movements with their full strength as per the intention of the then Sarsanghchalak Balasaheb Deoras. The nationwide Rath Yatra by the Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Lal Krishna Advani created an atmosphere across India, while the sacrifice of innumerable Kar Sevaks served as Samidha in this Yagya of Ram Rashtra.
The history of the temple movement is marked by the blood of many martyrs and the sacrifice of their families. The society’s faith in Ram Mandir has been so strong that when labor was necessary, it was donated. In order to give grandeur and divinity to the Rashtra Mandir, in the fund dedication campaign, whoever was able to destroy all the barriers of caste, class, party and group, surrendered at the feet of Lord Shri Ram.
According to the Indian calendar, on this very day, Paush Shukla Dwadashi, which was 22 January 2024 last year, the deity of the Lord was consecrated. Through Shri Ram Temple, the center of faith of entire India, spiritual consciousness got strengthened and self-respect was awakened among the countrymen. At the same time, all the objections of those who were opposing the construction of the temple were answered in this one year. From the consecration to today’s first anniversary, innumerable visitors not only visited Ramlala but also played an important role in strengthening the economic system of Ayodhya and surrounding areas.
Built in Nagar style, the length of Shri Ram Temple, full of supernatural beauty, from east to west is 380 feet, width is 250 feet and height is 161 feet. The grand three-storey temple has 392 pillars and 44 gates. The charming child form of Lord Shri Ram is in the ground floor and the sanctum sanctorum of Shri Ram Darbar is in the first floor. There is dance pavilion, color pavilion, assembly pavilion, prayer and kirtan pavilion. Mother Annapurna is seated in the northern arm and Hanuman ji is seated in the southern arm. Sitakoop of ancient times will remain near the temple. Temples of Lord Surya, Mother Bhagwati, Ganapati and Lord Shiva will be built at the four corners of the 732 meter long and 14 meter wide all-round rectangular rampart. Temples of Maharishi Valmiki, Maharishi Vashishtha, Vishwamitra, Agastya, Nishadraj, Mata Shabari and Devi Ahilya are proposed in the temple complex itself.
It is not just a temple but a symbol of India’s culture and identity. A self-respecting nation draws energy from such symbols. Ram temple is synonymous with the consciousness of India and also with how deeply Ram is ingrained in the memories of people. This is the first time in the history of the modern world, when a society has succeeded in justly freeing the birthplace and place of worship of its inspirational man from encroachment and illegal occupation.
The wave of emotions that surged in the Pran-Pratishtha festival was answering many such questions as to why the construction of Ram temple was necessary and why the Hindu society was waiting so anxiously for it? It would have been better if this wait would have been completed after independence, but due to narrow political reasons and the distorted concept of so-called secularism, this could not happen. It is an irony that the age-old natural desire of the Hindu society for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was ignored.
Ayodhya, which was called Amravati of Avani and Vaikuntha of the earth, was cursed for centuries, remained neglected and suffered planned contempt. Sanatan Aastha continued to be oppressed in its own land, but Ram’s life teaches us restraint and Indian society maintained restraint. With time, the resolve of the society also became stronger and today the entire creation is admiring the splendor of Ayodhya. This religious city is becoming established as the cultural capital of the world.
We also congratulate the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the accomplishment of our resolve and sadhana, for the end of our wait and for the fulfillment of our resolution. With a vision, he played an important role in realizing the golden opportunity of India, neither past nor future. The establishment of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is a spiritual rite of cultural renaissance of India. This is the national temple. Now it is the turn to fulfill the resolve of making India grand and the temple of Lord Shri Ram is a strong inspiration for this. This is definitely going to happen because with this Pran Pratistha, auspicious signs have already started coming from all directions. With these lines of Goswami Tulsidas ji-
“My life rests firmly in faith, I wish Ram is blessed.” Auspicious.
