Evidence supporting the existence of a Ram Mandir at the disputed site in the Ayodhya dispute
The Ram Janmabhoomi case, also known as the Ayodhya dispute, was a complex and sensitive land ownership conflict in India that has spanned centuries. It was centered around a plot of land in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, claimed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Lord Rama. Muslims claimed the same site as the location of the Babri Masjid, a mosque built in the 16th century.
Key aspects of the case:
- Historical claims: Hindus believe a temple dedicated to Lord Rama stood at the disputed site before the Babri Masjid’s construction. Muslims argue the mosque existed for centuries without contest.
- Legal battles: The dispute gained legal momentum in the 1980s, leading to decades of court proceedings and appeals.
- Turning point: In 1992, a mob of Hindu activists demolished the Babri Masjid, triggering widespread communal violence across India.
- Supreme Court verdict: In 2019, the Supreme Court of India ruled in favor of the Hindu parties, awarding the disputed land to a trust for the construction of a Ram Mandir. The court also directed the allocation of an alternative site for a mosque to the Muslim parties.
The Hindu Side submitted a total of 533 Evidence to the court.
Archaeological Findings:
Excavations conducted in the 1990s unearthed remains of a large brick structure beneath the demolished Babri Masjid. These included pillars, plinths, and sculpted fragments with Hindu motifs like floral patterns and geometric designs, suggesting a temple’s presence.
Hundreds of terracotta figurines depicting Hindu deities like Vishnu, Rama, and Sita were found, further corroborating the religious nature of the site.
Moreover in an interview with a ASI official by Times Now, It was revealed that 12 pillars of Babri Mosque were made from the remains of the ancient temple
“When we went inside, I saw 12 pillars of the mosque which were made from temple remains. In almost all the temples of the 12th and 13th Centuries, you get ‘Purna Kalasha’ at the base. It is in the structure of a ‘ghada’ (water pitcher) from which foliage would be coming out. It is the symbol of prosperity in Hinduism and is known as ‘Ashtamangala Chinha’ — one of the eight auspicious symbols. When you go inside, you can see a number of ‘Purna Kalashas’ and a number of gods and goddesses. Similar things were there in Babri mosque also. There were no gods and goddesses but ‘Ashtamangala Chinha’ was there. So, basis these, any archaeologist would say that these were temple remains. Subsequently, BB Lal undertook excavations on the western side of the mosque, where pillar bases were also excavated,”
Also, the ASI team unearthed remnants of a temple’s tower from the mosque’s premises, adding to the pieces of evidence of a Hindu structure underneath.
Also, on top of the temple just below the ‘kalasha’, there is another architectural member known as ‘amalka’. It was also excavated. Below the ‘amalka’ there is the ‘grivah’ and also the ‘shikhara’ portion of the temple in North India. Many architectural members of the ‘shikhara’ were also excavated from there by the team,”
More than 200 pieces of terracota objects of Hindu gods were also found.
They found an octagonal holy fireplace known as Yagna Kund. The excavations revealed numerous elaborate fragments of Kasauti stone pillars.
Hindu Bell was also recovered which was tied to the pillars of mosque, Masjid dome had louts in it making a strong case for hindu side.
Radiocarbon Dating:
In the 1990s, samples of charcoal, bricks, and mortar were obtained from various levels of the excavated structures. Dating of the excavated structure placed it between the 8th and 10th centuries, aligning with the traditional timeframe associated with Rama’s era.
Historical Accounts:
Medieval Travelogues: Accounts by foreign travellers like Abu Fazl and William Finch’s Early Travels to India in the 16th and 17th centuries mention a “Ramachaura” or “Hindu temple” at the disputed site. Accounts from medieval travellers mentioned a temple dedicated to Rama at that place adding weight to the Hindu narrative.
Literary Evidence:
Numerous Hindu religious texts, including Tulsi Das’s Ramcharitmanas and Kavitav Khana, mention Ayodhya as Rama’s birthplace and a site of temple worship for centuries. In a 1766 letter, Joseph Taissen Thaler claimed for the first time that either Babur or Aurangzeb had destroyed the temple.
Guru Nanak, Sikh Guru’s Biography, Janam Sakhi mentions Guru Nanak Visiting the temple and taking bath in Saryu River before praying to Lord Ram.
Swami Tulsidas mentions in his book Tusli Doha Satak that an invader destroyed the temple and built a mosque over it.
First Director General of ASI, Alexander Cunningham in an official Awadh document says that in the site there existed a large Hindu temple and using the columns, the Babri Mosque was built.
In the year 1886 the judge of Faizabad District, Colonel J.E.A Shamier personally visited the site and investigated the existence of the temple. After investigation, he mentions that the Mosque was built over a Hindu Temple.
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