A new temple to Rama at the site held by Hindus to be his birthplace, built after the Supreme Court's 2019 judgment in the Ayodhya title dispute. The site had held the Babri Masjid (1528) until its demolition in 1992. The Nagara-style temple was designed by the Sompura family and consecrated in January 2024.
HistoryDocumented history
Ayodhya, ancient Saketa, is one of the seven holy cities (Sapta Puri). The title dispute over the site lasted over a century and shaped modern Indian politics. The new temple is built of pink Bansi Paharpur sandstone without structural steel, in three storeys.
Sthala PuranaTradition
The Valmiki Ramayana describes Ayodhya as the capital of the Ikshvaku kings, where Rama was born to Dasharatha and Kaushalya. The Ayodhya Mahatmya (in the Skanda Purana) lists its sacred places, including the janmasthana.
Aitihyas and storiesTradition and folklore
Tulsidas is said to have written part of the Ramcharitmanas in Ayodhya in 1574. Many local stories tell of Hanuman as guardian of the city at Hanuman Garhi.
PhilosophyInterpretation
Rama is honoured as Maryada Purushottama, the ideal person who keeps dharma at personal cost. 'Ram Rajya' expresses an ideal of just and caring rule.
Meaning todayInterpretation
The temple is among the most significant and contested events in modern India. The database records the legal and historical record neutrally, with sources, so users can understand all sides.
Timeline
- 1528constructeddocumentedMir Baqi (Mughal governor)Babri Masjid built at the site, according to its inscription.
- 1885–2019legaldocumentedLong series of suits over the site; idols were placed inside the mosque in 1949.
- 1992destroyeddocumentedThe mosque was demolished by a crowd; the Supreme Court later called this an egregious violation of the rule of law.6 December 1992
- 2003discoverydocumentedASI (court-ordered excavation)Reported remains of a large non-Islamic structure under the mosque.
- 2019legaldocumentedSupreme Court of IndiaAwarded the site to a trust for a temple and ordered 5 acres elsewhere in Ayodhya for a mosque. The Court said the ASI report did not establish that a temple had been demolished to build the mosque.9 November 2019
- 2024consecrateddocumentedPrana pratishtha of Ram Lalla.22 January 2024
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Sources
- Valmiki Ramayanadevotional
- M Siddiq (D) Thr Lrs v. Mahant Suresh Das & Ors, Supreme Court of India judgment (2019)official
- Wikipedia: Ram Mandirtertiary
- Official websiteofficial
This entry is a draft. Traditional stories are presented as tradition, not as historical fact.