Letter from Canada: Modi’s Temple Opening in Ayodhya. Why is it a big deal?

What India’s Modi did on 22th January 2024, was predictably flashed on Canadian TV Channels variously as “Opening of controversial Hindu temple” or as a vote-bank-promoting tool ahead of the upcoming general election “using the elaborate consecration ceremony to lobby the country's Hindu majority” etc. remarks. Other media, known for towing similar lines, BBC, NYT, WP, DW, AJ, etc too maintained their characteristic hostile stance. 

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.

--- ---- ---- ----