The nation is gearing up to witness the installation of the ‘Ram Lalla’ idol in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024. This will be a climax for the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi’ movement, which for decades has sought the consecration of a temple at the site believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram — and where the Babri Masjid mosque once stood. The movement has also been front and centre of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s political campaign since its foundation in 1980.
The bitter dispute that gave rise to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was centred on the belief that the Mughal emperor Babur had constructed the Babri Masjid after destroying a temple that marked Lord Ram’s birthplace. Adherents of this belief say that Lord Ram was born at the exact spot where the mosque’s central dome was located. Meanwhile, Muslim organisations contested that the mosque was built in 1528 by one of Babur’s commanders, Mir Baqi, without demolishing any place of worship and not transferring the land rights to anyone else.
Also Read: Preparing for the Ram temple consecration | A package
Here is a look at the long struggle for installing ‘Ram Lalla’ at Ayodhya:
1858: Nihang Sikhs storm into Babri Masjid
The first recorded instance of an attempt to stake a claim to Lord Ram’s birthplace is from 1858 (as noted in the eventual judgement of the Supreme Court in 2019). A few Nihang Sikhs (an armed Sikh warrior order) reportedly entered the mosque and organised a hawan and puja, and erected a religious symbol, according to a report filed by the Awadh Thanedar (policeman). It took a few weeks for the police to evict the Sikhs.
According to an application submitted by Syed Mohammad Khateeb, Muazzim of the masjid, the Hindus had been visiting a spot outside the mosque’s complex believed to be the Janmasthan. However, later the Hindus had begun entering the mosque to worship as well. “Ram’ was also written on the walls of the masijd.
1885: First legal claim to birthplace
Mahant Raghubar Das — a monk of the Nirmohi Akhara (an armed Hindu sect of the Vaishnava order worshipping Lord Vishnu and his avatars) filed a legal suit to build a temple on the ‘Chabutra’ (platform) outside the mosque. During the hearing, a map of the area was drawn showing the mosque and its inner courtyard under Muslims’ possession, while the outer courtyard with the Chabutra was under Hindus’ possession. The case was dismissed, but the dispute was far from over.
Site plan of Babri Masjid so-called Ramjanamsthan chabutra submitted by Mahant Raghubar Das along with the plaint of suit no: 61/280 of 1885 (Mahant Raghubar Das vs Secretary of State and others) decided on December 24, 1885, by Sub-Judge, Faizabad.
1949: ‘Ram Lalla’ idols placed inside Babri Masjid
On the intervening night of December 22-23, 1949, a large group of Hindus entered the mosque and placed idols of Lord Ram under the central dome. Several groups claimed that the appearance of the idols was a ‘miracle’. The Uttar Pradesh government refused to buy the argument but despite the State government’s orders, officials did not remove the installed idols.
A Faizabad court attached the disputed site, cutting off both Muslims and Hindus’ access to it and handed it over to an official receiver.
Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra shared the pictures of Ram Lalla along with his brothers Bharat, Laxman and Shatrughan covered in warm clothes during a winter evening, in Ayodhya on January 5, 2024
1950-1959: More legal suits to birthplace filed
Three suits were filed by Nirmohi Akhara seeking rights to perform pooja to the idols, and later seeking a complete hand-over of the disputed site. In a counter suit, the U.P. Sunni Central Waqf Board sought possession of the site.
1986: Babri Masjid locks opened
After passing an Act diluting the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Shah Bano case, the Rajiv Gandhi government faced criticism for bowing to the demands of orthodox Muslims. Following this, in February 1986, the Congress government re-opened Babri Masjid, allowing Hindus to worship the idols.
1989: VHP sets deadline for Ram Mandir construction
The Allahabad High Court ordered status quo with respect to the disputed site amid growing demands for a Ram temple. Meanwhile, on November 9, 1989, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) performed a shilanyas (foundation laying ceremony) at the site, setting a deadline of October 30, 1990 to build a Ram temple.
At Ayodhya in November 1989, consecrated bricks brought from various parts of the country as part of the Shilanyas exercise.
A sketch map of the disputed Ayodhya site, distributed by the Viswa Hindu Parishad. It describes the site only as Sri Ramjanmabhumi and mentions this as under the domes of the Babri Masjid. The dotted lines and the double lines show the fencing done by the police. The idols of Ram Lalla(Lord Rama in child form) are under the main dome and are being worshipped since December 1949. A receiver appointed by the court supervises daily worship done by a priest. The receiver has jurisdiction confined to the main structure, while the Sunni Wakf Board claims the entire area demarcated in the sketch. The VHP’s foundation laying of November 10, 1989 was held on the right comer shown in the sketch map (marked Shilanyas site with a flag). The State and Union Governments maintained that the site where Shilanyas was held, is outside the disputed area, a point contested by the Sunni Wakf Board.
1990: Advani holds Rath Yatra, attempt to demolish mosque fails
Socialist politics was riding high as the United Front government implemented the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, paving way for 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes. Countering it with ‘kamandal’ politics, BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani announced a 10,000-km Rath Yatra through ten States from Somnath to Ayodhya. The journey which began on September 25, 1990 was scheduled to end on October 30, 1990 at the disputed spot, coinciding with the deadline set by the VHP to build a Ram Temple.
BJP President Mr. L.K. Advani during the Rath Yatra in Ayodhya on November 19, 1990
On October 22, Mr. Advani was arrested by the Bihar police and then flown out of the State, before being set free. Despite Mr. Advani’s brief absence, the yatra proceeded to Uttar Pradesh, with 75,000 kar sevaks reaching Ayodhya. In preparation, then-CM Mulayam Singh Yadav deployed 20,000 policemen to protect the Babri Masjid.
Two domes of the Babri Masjid structure with a saffron flag atop put up by Kar Sevaks on October 30, 1990
On October 30, 40,000 kar sevaks gathered at the bridge leading to Ayodhya as the VHP prepared to hold a 14-kosi parikrama (procession) around the site and a ceremony at the grounds adjoining the mosque. VHP’s Ashok Singhal had already met with the Uttar Pradesh CM and received a go-ahead for the event. However, despite VHP’s promise to leave the mosque intact, kar sevaks scaled the domes of the Babri Masjid in an attempt to tear it down. In retaliation, Mr. Yadav ordered his police to fire at the crowd, killing 15. The Babri Masjid remained intact.
1992: Babri Masjid demolished
A year earlier, the BJP had emerged as the second-largest party in Lok Sabha with 121 seats in the general elections held after it withdrew support to the V.P. Singh government over Mr. Advani’s arrest. It was also voted into power in Uttar Pradesh with Kalyan Singh sworn in as the Chief Minister.
Buoyed by the results, the VHP and BJP organised several rallies across India demanding the construction of a Ram Mandir at the disputed area. Moreover, the UP government acquired 2.77 acres around the disputed area to ‘promote tourism and provide amenities to pilgrims’ and demolished all buildings in the area — levelling the ground.
In this picture taken December 6, 1992, youths shout slogans and wave flags as they stand atop the 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, some 150km east of Lucknow. | Photo Credit: AFP
On December 6, 1992, the RSS and VHP organised a massive katha kunj (storytelling) event at the site adjoining the mosque, with over 1,50,000 kar sevaks in attendance. Several leaders such as Mr. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Nritya Gopal Das, and Sadhvi Ritambara gave rousing speeches and raised slogans vowing to build a Ram Temple at the site.
The kar sevaks (which also comprised of Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena workers) then began pelting stones at the mosque. They went on to storm into the disputed area and demolished the entire structure with the three domes within a few hours. Despite repeatedly assuring the Supreme Court that the mosque would not be harmed, Chief Minister Kalyan Singh ordered the State police to stand down, allowing the demolition to occur.
December 1992-January 1993: Riots break out across India
In the aftermath of the demolition, kar sevaks attacked Muslim residents in Ayodhya, torching houses and shops and destroying 23local mosques. Riots ensued across India in Surat, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Bhopal, Mumbai and Delhi, killing almost 2,000 people. In Mumbai alone, 900 people were killed (mainly Muslims) in the riots that occurred in two phases in December 1992 and January 1993.
A scene of devastation in the riot-hit suburban area of Jogeshwari, in Bombay on January 08, 1993.
1993: Centre acquires 67.7 acres including disputed area
The Lok Sabha passed the Acquisition of Certain Area in Ayodhya Act, empowering the Central government to acquire 67.7 acresof land in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid area including the disputed 0.31 acre area where the mosque stood. The Act stated that the acquisition was necessary to ‘set up a Ram temple, a mosque, amenities for pilgrims, a library, museum and other suitable facilities.’
1994: Centre’s acquisition upheld by SC
Opposing the acquisition,Dr. Ismail Faruquichallenged the Act in the Supreme Court. However, a five-judge Bench of the Court ruled that a mosque was not an ‘essential part of the practice of the religion of Islam’ and that namaz could be offered anywhere, upholding the acquisition as constitutionally valid.
2002: Allahabad High Court begins hearing title case
The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench began hearing arguments regarding the title case of the disputed area and ordered an excavation of the disputed area
2003: ASI begins excavation
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began its excavation and claimed to have found remnants of a 10th century Hindu temple. The Supreme Court ordered status quo in the Centre’s acquired land in Ayodhya, stating that no religious activity was allowed till the Allahabad High Court decided on the title case.
Excavated trench: remains of brick “pillar bases” marked PI, P2, P3, P4, PS (southern row); PI, PII (northern row); stratification with layer numbers (1-10); steps marked Sl, S2, S3, S4, S5 (Ayodhya).
2009: Liberhan report submitted
After 16 years and 399 sittings, the inquiry commission into the Babri Masjid demolition headed by Justice M. S. Liberhan, submitted its report to then-PM Manmohan Singh. The report concluded that the mobilisation of the kar sevaks and their convergence in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992 was neither spontaneous nor voluntary and that the demolition was carried out with painstaking preparation and preplanning. It also said that the then-CM Kalyan Singh, RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan and local leaders like Vinay Katiyar and Ashok Singhal had knowledge of the plan.
2010: Allahabad HC passes verdict
On September 30, 2010, the Allahabad High Court passed a 2:1 majority verdict holding that both Hindus and Muslims were joint title holders of the disputed area, dividing the 2.77 acre-property into three parts among the Hindu Mahasabha (Hindus), Sunni Waqf Board (Muslims) and Nirmohi Akhara. The High Court held that the central dome of the Babri Masjid is the ‘exact birthplace of Lord Ram’ and hence would be handed over to the Hindus. One-thirds of the remaining area in the inner and outer courtyard was allotted to the Muslims, while the Ram Chabutra, Bhandar and Sita Rasoi structures in the outer courtyard were handed over to the Nirmohi Akhara.
The floor plan of the disputed structure according to the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict
2011: SC orders status quo at disputed area
The High Court’s order was appealed by both the Hindus and the Muslims in the Supreme Court. A two-judge bench stayed the verdict, calling the land division ‘strange’ and ordering that status quo be maintained at the site.
2017: CJI suggests out-of court settlement
In March, then-Chief Justice of India J.S Khehar urged the disputing parties to settle amicably out of court as BJP MP Subramanian Swamy sought an urgent mentioning of the appeal against the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Ayodhya dispute.
In response, in August, the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board told the Supreme Court that they would settle for a masjid located in a “Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed area.” It also termed its Sunni counterpart, who had been at the frontline of the dispute, as interlopers led by “hardliners, fanatics and non-believers” who did not want an amicable settlement with the Hindus.
On December 5, marking the 25th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, the Supreme Court began hearing 13 appeals pertaining to the dispute. It refused the Muslim community’s request to defer hearing till after July 15, 2019, i.e. post the Lok Sabha polls.
2018: SC begins hearing appeals to land dispute
In February, the Supreme Court began hearing the title dispute, urging parties to treat it as a ‘mere land issue.’ As both Hindus and Muslims sought an early resolution to the 70-year-old dispute, a three-judge bench led by then-CJI Ranjan Gogoi ordered the appeals to be listed in January 2019 before an appropriate bench to fix a date for hearing.
2019: Day-to-day hearings commence, mediation attempted
On January 10, the Supreme Court began hearing the dispute. Justice U.U Lalit recused himself from the case after senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the U.P. Central Sunni Waqf Board, pointed out that the judge had represented the Kalyan Singh government in a criminal contempt case linked to the Masjid’s demolition in 1997.
On January 25, Justice Gogoi reconstituted the five-judge bench led by himself, to replace Justices N.V. Ramana and U.U. Lalit with Ashok Bhushan and S. Abdul Nazeer. Apart from them, Justices S.A. Bobde and D.Y. Chandrachud were to hear the appeals in the dispute.
A group photo of the five-judge bench comprised of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi (C) flanked by (L-R) Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, Justice S Abdul Nazeer after delivering the verdict on Ayodhya land case, at Supreme Court in New Delhi, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.
On March 8, the SC Bench sent the land dispute to a 3-member mediation panel comprising former Supreme Court judge F.M.I. Kalifulla as chairman, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, who had experience in alternative dispute resolution. However, efforts to mediate a final settlement between the Hindu and Muslim parties failed and the same SC Bench began hearing appeals on a day-to-day basis from August 6.
Amid daily hearings, in September, the SC Bench allowed the mediation panel to resume talks with the disputing parties. After a 40-day marathon hearing, in October, the Bench reserved its verdict on the seven-decade land dispute till November 9. The mediation panel filed its final report confidentially to the Supreme Court.
November 9, 2019: SC passes judgement on Ayodhya dispute
On November 9, in a unanimous judgement, the five-judge SC Bench allowed the construction of a temple at the disputed site and asked the government to allot a five-acre plot for Muslims to construct a mosque in Ayodhya. It gave the Centre three months to set up a trust to construct the temple and manage property. The judges also declared the demolition of the Babri Masjid was “an egregious violation of the rule of law” and dismissed the Nirmohi Akhara’s suit seeking rights over the property. It asked the Centre to include the sect in an “appropriate role in the management” of the property.
Hindus and Muslims celebrating outside the Supreme Court after the Ayodhya verdict on Nov 9, 2019
2020: Ram Mandir & mosque trust set up
In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed Parliament that his cabinet had approved setting up an autonomous trust — Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra – to construct and manage the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as per Supreme Court’s orders. The Centre also allotted five acres for a mosque in Ayodhya’s Dhannipur village, around 25 kmsfrom the site where the Babri Masjid once stood.
The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board accepted the land allotted for the mosque construction and in July, the Board constituted a 15-member body called the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) to build the mosque, which was to be named ‘Masjid-e-Ayodhya’.
Design of the Mosque and Hospital to be built in Ayodhya
Meanwhile, across the Sarayu river, on March 25, the idols of Ram Lalla were shifted from a makeshift tent to a fiber temple, ahead of the bhoomi pujan (groundbreaking ceremony). While the country was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preparations to commence construction of the Ram Temple were in full swing at Ayodhya.
August 5, 2020: PM Modi lays foundation stone for Ram Mandir
On August 5, 2020, Mr. Modi laid the foundation stone for the Ram Mandir.
Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs Bhoomi Pujan at ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir’, in Ayodhya, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020
2021-23: Construction of Ram Mandir in full swing, mosque yet to be built
In January 2022, the temple trust launched a 45-day-long nationwide fundraising campaign for the temple’s construction. Employing 40 lakh volunteers in a door-to-door campaign, the trust managed to collect Rs.3,400 crore. By the end of 2022, the trust had collected over Rs 5,500 crore as construction continued in full steam.
Ram Mandir construction in full swing on the second anniversary of its bhoomi pujan, in Ayodhya on Friday The Ram Mandir Trust has expressed hope that the temple will be opened for devotees to visit by the end of 2023 and Ram Lala idol to be installed in Garbhagirh sanctum-sanctorum sometime in January 2024. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
On the other hand, the IICF, which was overseeing the construction of the mosque in Ayodhya, was facing administrative hurdles. While the foundation for the mosque was laid in 2021, the Ayodhya Development Authority gave final land clearance to the IICF only on March 4, 2023. Moreover, the blueprint of the mosque was also changed to resemble a more conservative design after the community objected to the ‘contemporary style’ of the previous design. The new mosque has been renamed Mohammad Bin Abdullah and will now be designed by Pune-based architect, Imran Sheikh.
The new design of the mosque, unlike the previous blueprint which had no stereotypical domes and arches, has everything that makes it easily recognisable as religious structure of the Muslim community.
On October 25, 2023, the Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust invited PM Modi to inaugurate the Ram Mandir on January 22, 2024. Apart from the Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and RSS Sarsanghchalak (chief) Mohan Bhagwat will be present in the sanctum sanctorum, overseeing the rituals. The 7,000 invitees to the pran prathisthan (consecration ceremony) include most political party chiefs, religious leaders, seers, celebrities and kar sevaks.
2024: Ram Mandir to be inaugurated
As of date, the first phase of the temple construction has been completed. This comprises the garba griha where a 51-inch idol depicting a 5-year-old ‘Ram Lalla’ designed by Karnataka-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj will be installed. The second phase of the temple, which includes construction of the ground floor and two storeys encompassing five mandapas, will be done by December 2024. Idols of Goddess Sita, Lord Hanuman and Lakshman will be placed on the first floor of the temple.
Karnataka sculptor Yogiraj Arun with his Ram Lalla idol that is to be installed in Ayodhya on Jan 22
