"Ayodhya: Unraveling the Threads of a Historic Dispute."

With the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony held in the Indian city of Ayodhya on January 22 2024 lets contemplate the significant events leading up to this longanticipated moment Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid case or the Ayodhya dispute Communal violence is no new story especially when it comes to Hindus and Muslims The two religions have always been at odds with each other at times taking a very violent turn The Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid case or the Ayodhya dispute is one longstanding example that has been at the core of a lot of communal violence incidents But what is the dispute about? The Core Issue The Ayodhya dispute is essentially a land dispute The reason it has taken such a serious turn is mainly because of the parties involved Ayodhya is a city in the district of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh Hindus consider the place to be the birthplace of Lord Ramaone of the most revergods in Hinduism They allege that in 1528 Mir Baqi one of Mughal king Babur is generals destroyed the Rama temple and built a mosque called Babri Masjid The first recorded incidents of violence were in 1853 and the fight has been going on ever since Chronology of Events In 1859 the British administration constructed a fence dividing the places of worship Muslims prayed in the inner court and Hindus in the outer court Suddenly in 1949 idols of Lord Ram appeared inside the mosque allegedly by Hindus Both Muslims and Hindus filed civil suits and the area was locked by the government in 1986 Faizabad District Judge KM Pandey ordered that the gates of the mosque be opened for Hindu worship In protest Muslims set up a Babri Mosque Action Committee Hindus also formed a committee headed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad In 1992 a Hindumob destroyed the mosque This was followed by nationwide clashes between the Hindus and Muslims According to reports more than 2000 people died In January 2002 then Prime Minister Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee set up an Ayodhya cell in his office headed by senior official Shatrughan Singh to discuss the matter with Hindu and Muslim leaders In February 2002 VHP confirms a deadline of 15 March to begin construction of the Rama Temple on the disputed site which it had vowed to do earlier 58 people were reportedly killed in an attack on a train carrying Hindu activists returning from Ayodhya In March 2002 1000 to 2000 people died in Gujarat following riots after the train attack In April 2002 a hearing begins in Allahabad High Court on the disputed land issue In January 2003 the court orders a survey to determine whether a Ram temple existed underneath the Babri Masjid In August 2003 archaeologists affirm evidence of a temple beneath the mosque but this is disputed by Muslims In September 2003 7 Hindu leaders are ordered by a court to stand trial for the destruction of the Babri Mosque In July 2005 Islamic militants allegedly attack the site blowing a hole in the wall of the complex using explosives Security forces kill 5 people who they claim were militants and a sixth who wasnt identified In June 2009 the Liberhan commissionset up 17 years agosubmitted its report on the events leading to the demolition of the mosque There was a huge uproar when it was published in November 2009 as it blamed leading politicians for the demolition Allahabad High Court in September 2010 ordered for a split in three parts going to Hindus Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara a Hindu party In May 2011 the Supreme Court stayed the Allahabad High Court verdict calling it strange as no party had asked for it In February 2018 the Supreme Court bench led by the CJI said that it will treat the dispute merely as a land issue In April 2018 the Supreme Court ruled against a plea to immediately refer the case to a larger bench Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi leading the Supreme Court on November 9 2019 pronounced their verdict and instructed the transfer of the land to a trust for the construction of a Hindu temple On August 5 2000 the bhoomi puja for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya took place On the occasion of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha 22nd January 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted the Pran Pratishtha ritual at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya Ayodhya Dispute Resolution Supreme Courts 2019 Verdict On November 9 2019 the Supreme Court of India delivered its final verdict in the Ayodhya dispute The court directed the transfer of the disputed 277 acres of land to a trust to be established by the Indian government for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple revered as the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama In addition the court mandated the government to allocate an alternative 5 acres of land at a different location to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board This allocation was intended for the construction of a mosque serving as a replacement for the previously demolished Babri Masjid ConclusionThe consecration ceremony for the Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya Dham took place on January 22 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi officiated the Pran Pratishtha following the prescribed rituals.