14 years – the duration for which Rama, along with his wife Sita and younger brother Lakshman, had to spend in the woods because of family politics. Rama was the oldest son of the Ruler of the Kingdom of Kosala(ruled from Ayodhya), Dashrath. Let’s just call him a man and not call him a god for the sake of keeping communists and atheists calm.
His father died few weeks after their exile started and he could not attend his final ceremonies. Meanwhile his wife got kidnapped by the Lankan king Ravana and he had to travel hundreds of kilometres to fight his army and take back his wife. Along the route he passed through many kingdoms and made many allies. He also fought some cruel and immoral rulers to give people the generous administrators whom the people deserved. At the end of his exile he moved back to claim to claim his throne. There he laid stones for a just and efficient administration whose concepts were to be followed for generations to come. Not much time had passed when agitation starts rising within the people about Sita being kidnaped and residing in Lanka. In no time this agitation started to take a shape of civil war. He being a devoted civil servant had to give up his wife to avoid the civil war, unknown of the fact that Sita was pregnant. Few years later he almost accidentally killed his twin sons when they captured a ceremonial horse. He groomed his sons to administer the kingdom on the values which he had laid and decided to end his life along with his wife by drowning in river Sarayu.
Quite a miserable life, huh?
Any man in his place would have lost his temper and would taken steps that would eventually lead to a better life. Moreover, nobody would have gone into exile instead of fighting through the politics and claiming the throne. Even in current democratic systems we could see people doing anything to protect their thrones – be it imposing the State of Emergency. And all that was happening around 6000 – 8000 years ago.
But did Rama lost his temper? Not even once. He goes through all the series of disasters peacefully and blissfully. Surely he felt the PAIN and expresses his personal pain at different points in time. But what made him above all men is the quality of never allowing that pain to make any decisions or affect anything he is doing at any cost.
He was the man of values and morals in the era when no man had any obligations to. He was a just ruler and a true administrator. He was a highly honoured Civil Servant and his devotion to his people were beyond measures.
He was also the Epitome of Monogamy. Despite being a charming prince and the ruler of the most prosperous kingdom in the Indian Subcontinent, he never remarried or saw any other woman with any affection.
Therefore, if in case he himself was not divine, the qualities which constitutes this man were certainly divine
In short, Rama is a Remarkable Icon for a series of generations in one of the oldest civilisations which still flourishes.
That’s why they call him “MARYADA PURUSHOTTAM”.
So we know the man behind the fuss!
But whats’s the fuss all about?
The whole fuss is about a few thousands years old temple on the holy land of his birthplace which was demolished by barbaric invaders who attacked this civilisation around 500 years ago with the motive of ripping apart all the accumulated culture and tradition on this subcontinent. They were successful in doing a lot of damage. They demolished temples, burned down libraries and other horrendous deeds.
So, what happens when you take away the Spirit of a Civilisation from its people?
Civil War – Right?
NO!
Definitely people protested and showed disagreement towards their new rulers’ actions but they were devotees of this iconic man. How could something go so violent in the name of Rama. So they waited until the law kicks in. Around 130-140 years under the British Colonial Era, the people, the devotees went to Court of Law for the first time. Now we can see how the values and qualities of this man named Rama affected the people even after thousands of years.
The topic rekindled in 1950 when a case was filed in Allahabad High Court. The case caught fire when riots invoked in 1992 when a building (monument for some sects) which was made by those early invaders, was demolished by the people of Rama’s civilisation. Those were just the devotees who lost their patience and started to loose faith in the law. Maybe this was not the kind of law which Rama had taught them.
Their land had went through several invasions and exploitations, yet one name always resides on the tip of the tongues of the people – Ram. This whole struggle for rebuilding of his temple is nothing as compared to the struggle of Rama’s life. Just by listening to his story, the very core of a person gets strengthened and their passion rejuvenates as if Rama himself has come to his soul.
The judicial process took its time, looked through all the evidences from philosophical to archaeological, in and out, and made sure it is not being Politically Incorrect. Finally the Court of Law pronounced that land for Ram Mandir (Rama Temple) on 9th November 2019 and today, 5th August 2019 is the day of Bhumi Poojan.
Rebuilding the Temple means Resurrection of India’s Spirit
It was a very long journey from “Mandir Wahi Banayege” (We will build temple there) to “Mandir Wahi Ban Raha Hai” (Temple is being built there).
And we the devotees of Rama will always be devoted to him as he had been his entire life.
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