While all those observations
are neither correct nor legit and at best misleading half truths, the reporters
and journos could benefit themselves by considering what really it is that has
resulted in unprecedented, unseen, frenzy around opening. There is something
more at play. It is political but in a different sense. After opening, Modi
announced from the podium: “the occasion marks the beginning of a new era”. Many
share his sentiment across the globe. Besides political fallout for India and
the world, it has opened a vast curiosity among thinkers and even the general
public all over the world. Everyone has begun wondering as to what has triggered
an excitement, almost a frenzy all around inside and outside India? More than
100 flights, 40 of them chartered, have landed in the morning that day in a
sleepy and hardly known small town of India. Situated hundreds of kms away from
cities like Delhi and Kolkata and thousand plus kms away from Bangalore, Chennai
or Hyderabad, in the plains of agricultural rural land fed by Himalayan rivers.
Ayodhya, where until just a few days ago hardly any flights flew or trains
plied. As a matter of fact there have been times in the past when it was a taboo
even to visit it. Whatever few pilgrims visited in those times, did it under a
shadow of reprisal and arrest by local administration who took pride in having
ordered shooting on unarmed devotees. The Supreme Court ruling in 2019 changed
everything.
The town of Ayodhya was not always a sleepy place but was, once, a
prosperous thriving capital city of King Rama. After the court verdict, people
are now full of hope that the restored temple will once again bring back the
happiness of Rama Rajya.
On 22nd January 2022, when the city woke up from sleep,
they witnessed the presence amongst them of about 7,000 VVIP guests invited by
the temple Trust, a non-gov body. Everyone who matters in India, who are leaders
in their own fields, be it business, politics, finance, religion, scientists,
philosophy, art, theatre, music, media etc. were present to witness the opening.
Learned men had calculated from the celestial movements of stars and planets
that a slot of 84 seconds beginning 12:29:03 pm.was the most suitable time
period for that important event. Besides those who were invited by the Trust,
there were other visitors, estimated at 250,000. VVIPs. The tycoons,
celebrities, faith leaders, politicians were seen rubbing shoulders on the
streets or on the Saryu Riverfront of Ayodhya with ordinary folks. Entire
funding, temple decorations and food expenses were met through crowdfunding
through donations. Tradition was set by Mahatma Gandhi by his categoric edict
that no government funding should be provided for building temples and that
crowdfunding route only can be used for that purpose. Mahatma in his foresight
had spelled out that restriction when rebuilding of Somanath Temple was
discussed during the early years of independence.
Excitement was not limited to
Ayodhya city alone but was palpable even 12,000 kM away in Canada and its many
temples. So also was in many cities of 100 other countries that are home to a
significant ethnically Indian population notwithstanding the fact that they have
no or negligible skin in the outcomes of Indian election or economy. And still,
somehow they found it important enough to arrange live streaming of the telecast
of the Ayodhya function. Besides temples, the ceremony was shown live at
hundreds of locations including the one on a large screen in the Times Square of
New York. On various other TV channels, Live interviews of many Europeans,
Americans, Australians etc who were clearly not of Indian ethnicity, were
expressing excitement and happiness. A few American Rabbis too seemed extremely
enthusiastic and excited with the rebuilding of the temple on the site that
marked the birth place of legendary King Rama, considered an Avatar of Bhagavan
Vishnu.
Temple was originally a room in the Palace of Rama’s mother Kaushalya
Mata. That is where she delivered the baby Rama. Millenia ago a monumental
temple was constructed there, housing a murti (idol) of baby-Rama and was
continuously maintained there by subsequent societies for subsequent thousands
of years till 1528.
Global community, perhaps, finds it intriguing. What on
earth is in the opening of that temple?? How can a temple excite billions of
Indians and others, after all it is just a temple? And there are thousands more
scattered around, so what is the big deal?
Well, there are a few important
reasons. Bhagavan Rama epitomises good governance and personal purity. The ideas
and SOP for governance conveyed through text “Ramayana” are legendary and far
more advanced than what we consider as modern democracy or justice system. The
justice and fairplay of Rama excites everyone because that's what one wants to
see in their own societies. On the other hand, the lofty ideas of Rama’s
governance excite the thinkers of the world who are grappling with the solution
to discontent, fear, poverty and greed prevalent in their societies. This must
be the main cause behind the intense excitement.
In our modern society, the
relationship between haves and have-nots derives its laws and SOP framework out
of an exploiter-exploited rights-based paradigm, while in the Rama Rajya, the
same is derived from supporter-supported responsibility paradigm. In the former,
your need becomes my opportunity but in later your need becomes my duty. In the
former, one fights for taking rights and in the later one fights to take
responsibility. This is what tickled Mahatma Gandhi and he craved Rama Rajya for the Independent India as soon as she attained frredom from the British rule.
The sage-author Valmiki, can be interpreted to be saying in
‘preface’ of the Ramayana text, that armed and powerful use weapons to kill
weaponless and powerless when he sights the famous episode of bird-hunter. This story is the backdrop of Ramayana to illustrate oppressor-oppressed relationships and Ramayana shows the way how humans could change it to the sustainer-sustained or nourisher-nourished relationship between them where powerful consider it their duty to save powerless. Valmiki thought of haves and have-nots, thousands of years before
Karl Marx and today's liberals. Rama Rajya's solution was based on Dharma (Duty)
and not on rights. Therefore Rama ended up uniting diverse societies while Marx
et al have inadvertently excelled in breaking up of united societies.
Ramayana can
help the West understand why India is an inherently democratic, inherently
secular and inherently plural without having succumbed to pitfalls of societal
diversity arising out of religions, languages and economic status. It is a great
learning tool for the nations who seem to be failing at experiments of
celebrating diversity in their countries. In the Western model, the solution to
diversity at best is “Tolerance of All” but Rama’s Governance model is starkly
different, it is “Acceptance of All”. Intellectuals understand what a stark
difference is between the two mindsets. If Modi said in Ayodhya after the temple
opening that Rama is for everybody and Rama is the spirit of India, it makes
perfect sense. Of late, many career coaches and management institutes have
adopted Ramayana as their teaching source material for effective administration
and ethical management.
A despotic marauder descended on the fertile Himalayan
plains, Ignorant of Rama’s value and with a view to terrorise, rob and dominate
the inhabitants of Ayodhya, sacked the Rama-Birth-Temple. His name was
Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babar, also simply known as Babar. He returned to his
homeland and died there, however he successfully established a dynasty that
ruled India till the Maratha dynasty displaced them. Then came the British who
defeated Maratha and governed India till 1947.
Since 1528, for exactly 496 years
Indians of every generation have been struggling to worship once again at the
home of baby-Rama. Only they who struggled really understand what it is to
participate in the opening of Rama-Birth temple.
Some may be excited due to the
sense of having avenged wrong done or on recovery of ancient grandeur of
Rama-Birth-Temple or feel of the sense of relief or for successful culmination
of sacrifices made by Rama devotees. All are valid reasons but mainly the import
of this excitement lies in the sense everyone feels of a belongingness to a
lofty ideal of a society where everyone is happily living under a just and fair
administration run by a loving ruler. Everyone naturally craves to live in a
society that treats them fairly. The constitution and governance SOP for that
kind of an ideal state is termed as “Rama Rajya”. While the term is known from
time immemorial, in recent times “Rama Rajya” became a popular term during
India’s non-violent independence struggle when the great leader, Mahatma Gandhi
began using it as a synonym of good governance.
Ram-Rajya after having perfected
a system of fair, just and open governance, had successfully and continuously
delivered it for more than a thousand years. Traditional historians do not find
the claim to be historical but consider it a piece of rich literature woven
around the mythical Ikshavaku Dynasty. That is fine because according to them
civilization dawned just about 4-5,000 years ago. Of course, several Western
historians are now finding holes in that theory with the newer archaeological
evidence pushing history back several more thousands of years. Even if Ramayana
is a myth, the governance concept described in the text of Sage Valmiki, in the
epic Ramayana is enticing to say the least. It is so alluring and intellectually
fulfilling that thinkers get carried away. As per the ancients, the Ramayana is
a historical text, a chronicle of events in the territory of Ayodhya during a
long period identified as “Treta Yuga”. The Ramayana text describes history,
politics, governance principles, administration, taxation, education system,
health care for humans, animals and birds, family values, society and lives of
citizens of Ayodhya. chariots, horses, sharp weapons and wars. That its
population was prosperous and happy, citizen wore fragrances, wore silk, used
gold and silver ornaments, spoke in a rich and articulate language, women were
brave and men were strong, no one died ahead of his time, they died in the same
sequence as of their birth, later born never died before the former born. The
description of the city of Ayodhya is breathtakingly charming. Indians had
continuously for thousands of years remained in peace and prosperity using the
constitutional framework of the brave King Rama who never ever in his life
deviated from righteousness or made exceptions to rules or indulged into
favouritism. He fondly came to be known as “Maryada Purushottam”. This
expression for King Rama translates as he who is a “great person who stays
within the set bounds of morality never transgressing it (even if possible by
law or military power or money)” His dynasty is famously known as the
promise-keepers, “Raghukul Reet Sadaa Chali Aayee, Praan Jaaya Per Vachan Na
Jaay”. Translated: “Way of Rama’s dynasty is to keep the promise even if that
meant inviting death to keep the promise”
Who can resist craving for
belongingness to such a ruler or his kind of governance? That is the secret of
unlimited charm and attraction Rama and Rama Rajya have stored for its citizens.
His governance idea and ethical behaviour is legendary and above petty politics.
How I wish the journalists and correspondence of the media I referred to in the
first para could find some time to reflect upon the governance ideas laid out in
the Ramayana. Even if one was to leave alone the governance and if they were to
just enjoy the rich literature, they woild be thrilled.
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