The Battle for Ayodhya

At the end of September, 2010 a court in India split the city of Ayodhya between Hindus and Muslims. The court has the site divided evenly between Muslims, mainstream Hindus and a Hindu sect, the Nirmohi Akhara. Part of the trouble in Ayodhya was due to the Babri Masjid Mosque which Hindus say is the site of the birthplace of the god Ram and who want a temple there. The mosque was torn down in 1992 by Hindus. 2000 people died in the rioting that followed. The site of the mosque went to Hindus as they have put a small tent shrine to Ram in its ruins. This time, 200, 000 security men have been placed around northern India to quell any unrest that may result from the decision. This decision is the result of a 60 year court case. In 1950, Gopal Singh Visharad filed a suit with the Allahabad High Court. Other suits include one in 1959 filed by the Nimohi Akhara.

Ram (the blue figure), Sita and Hanuman kneeling: Image via Wikipedia

Another disputed site.

In a similar case, in southern India, people have fought against the breaking of Rama’s Bridge (or Adam’s Bridge) for a shipping lane, the Sethusamudram canal project.  It is a chain of limestone shoals just above sea level connecting India to Sri Lanka. It was fully complete until 1840, when it was breached by a storm.  According to Hindu belief, Ram and the monkey god Hanuman built the bridge so his monkey army could cross to Lanka and help to rescue Ram’s wife Sita from the evil Ravan. After this event, Ram and Sita returned to Ayodhya.

The history of Ayodhya in brief.

The name of the city of Ayodhya comes from the Sanskrit word yudh, meaning “fight” and it translates to either “not to be fought” or “unconquerable.” Ayodhya is an ancient Hindu city. The son of one of its kings in the distant past was Ram and Ram was believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In 1527, the city fell under Mughal control. Tarikh-i-Babri recorded at the time that Babur’s troops demolished many temples at the time. In 1528, The Babri Mosque was built by the Mughal Emperor Babur, reportedly on the site of a demolished temple. One of the names of the mosque, Masjid-i-Janamsthan, means “the mosque of birthplace”. Prior to 1855, both faiths worshipped inside the Babri Mosque. Then the British had the Hindus worship outside the mosque in an area known as the “Ram Chabutara” near the mosque’s well from 1890. Since 1948, by Indian Government order, the main gate was locked and only Hindus were allowed inside the disputed mosque through a side door. In 1989, the Allahabad High Court had the main gate opened to Hindus who later requested modifications to the mosque and drew up plans for a temple. Riots and the demolition of the mosque took place as a result.