Skip to main content

Ram temple and the Indian ethos


Ram temple has been the dream of millions of Indians who are Hindus, Sikhs,Buddhists, Jains and even some Muslims if not Christians,Jews etc. Why I said some Muslims, is because some of them regard and pay respect to Lord Ram as one of their ancestors. I learnt that some Muslim women of Varanasi have been performing "Shri Ram Aarti" for the past 14 years every day and sing Ram dhun.

Maryada Purushottam Ram has a special place in the ethos, culture, literature,traditions and whatnot of this country from Himalayas to Kanyakumari.He is a symbol of love and compassion and is celebrated that way in all Asian countries of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Phillipines ,as I know of. Even Thailand's Royal Kings use the name of Ram in their titles.

Ram has been a symbol of Unity and Gandhiji in modern days extensively used Ram for uniting the people of India under the banner of Purna Swaraj for Bharat. Gandhi in his Autobiography says that Ramayana and Harichandra play left indelible marks in shaping his personality defining his principles of Sathya and Ahimsa. All through his struggle for Independence he stressed the need for Ram Rajya and what it symbolises for. In his own words,

"BY RAMARAJYA I do not mean Hindu Raj. I mean by Ramarajya Divine Raj, the Kingdom of God. For me Rama and Rahim are one and the same deity. I acknowledge no other God but the one God of truth and righteousness.

Whether Rama of my imagination ever lived or not on this earth, the ancient ideal of Ramarajya is undoubtedly one of true democracy in which the meanest citizen could be sure of swift justice without an elaborate and costly procedure. Even the dog is described by the poet to have received justice under Ramarajya. (YI, 19-9-1929, p. 305)

By political independence I do not mean an imitation to the British House of commons, or the soviet rule of Russia or the Fascist rule of Italy or the Nazi rule of Germany. They have systems suited to their genius. We must have ours suited to ours. What that can be is more than I can tell. I have described it as Ramarajya i.e., sovereignty of the people based on pure moral authority. (H, 2-1-1937, p. 374)

My Hinduism teaches me to respect all religions. In this lies the secret of Ramarajya. (H, 19-10-1947, p. 378)

If you want to see God in the form of Ramarajya, the first requisite is self-introspection. You have to magnify your own faults a thousand fold and shut your eyes to the faults of your neighbours. That is the only way to real progress. (H, 26-10-1947, p. 387)" (Link)

The above defined the course of Gandhiji's path in his life and in his independence movement mobilising the masses.

So Ram is deeply imbibed in Indian culture and Ayodhya is the holy point from where this has emanated and engrossed the whole country. Like Gandhiji , Lord Ram had covered the length and breadth of this country , of course mostly by foot meandering through the thickly infested forests- Dhandakaranya, Janasthan- and then to Sri Lanka.Like Gandhiji, he stood firm on his beliefs and promises come what may. Like Gandhiji, he led a life of renunciation and penance to keep up his promise.Like Gandhiji, he wanted to shun violence and pardon his opponent for his misdeeds by giving him an opportunity to return Sita back .

Gandhiji truly imbibed all the best moral characteristics Lord Ram stood for and that is why even when he was shot he died uttering "Hey Ram".

Gandhiji said Unto the Last and this inclusive concept started from Ram nam.In Vishnu Sahasranam , Parvati asks how a simpleton who does not know 1000 names of Vishnu will ever worship the Lord and Eswar obliges Her saying that Ram naam is equal to 1000 names of Vishnu .So the last man standing shall worship by chanting Ram naam so that nobody is left behind.

So constructing a Ram temple in Ayodhya in independent India has been the dreams of millions of indians for over 500 years and the foundation stone laying on 5th August has been the culmination of this dream.




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hanuman and Ganesha!

  The two major loved deities of the Hindu pantheon are Hanuman and Ganesha. Let us dwell into the concepts and significance of these two dieties. Ganesha, the son of Parvati and Shiv, is worshipped first before starting any new job or work. Even if you want to start writing or reading , you invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha who goes under various names- Ganapathi, Vigneshwar, Vinayak, and  Pillayar in Tamilnadu. Ganesha Gayathri, Pancharatnam are some of the important Ganesha mantras and hymns. Adi Ganesha idol is in a Temple near Tiruvarur in Tamilnadu with a human face.The mythological story says that Shiv slew His head and then fixed the head of the animal that He saw first after this beheading of His son. Ganesha after that with the elephant head is worshipped as the wisdom god by Hindus. Why only Hindus. He is worshipped in Indonesia where He finds Himself in their currency notes. He is considered the destroyer of evil in Japan. In Mexico, Ganesha idols were said to h...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shrinking middle class in India?-Data show Growing Middle class!

  Key Findings from the SBI Eco wrap Report(25th Oct 2024) Income Inequality is Decreasing : The report uses the Gini coefficient to demonstrate a decline in income inequality in India. The shift is most noticeable in lower income brackets, with a substantial portion moving into higher income groups. This aligns with a rightward shift in the income distribution curve. ITR Filings are Increasing : The number of ITR filings has significantly increased, indicating a growing tax base. This growth is particularly evident in previously untapped states (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, etc.), suggesting broader economic participation.Below is the chart which shows No. of tax payers in Different income Group in AY2014 and AY2024 which clearly shows that the bulk have moved up from Rs.1.5lac to Rs5 lac to Rs.2.5 lac to Rs.10 lac(highlighted in yellow colour) Growth in 'Crorepati' Taxpayers : The number of taxpayers earning over ₹1 crore has increased significantly, highlighting the expansi...
Post a Comment
Read more

State of the Indian Economy: Navigating Global Uncertainties

 The global economic landscape is rapidly evolving, with trade policy uncertainty emerging as the key driver of the near-term outlook. Recent US tariff announcements have stoked fears of a global trade war, with countries still working out their appropriate responses in this uncertain environment. Despite these external headwinds, the Indian economy has exhibited marked resilience. Although the weakening global economic outlook could impact overall growth through weaker external demand, India's domestic growth engines - consumption and investment - are relatively less susceptible to external pressures. Prospects for the farm sector have been boosted by the forecast of an above normal southwest monsoon for 2025, which could augment farm incomes and keep food prices under check. Headline inflation moderated to a 67-month low of 3.3% in March, mainly due to moderation in food prices. Global Economic Outlook: Trade Tensions and Market Volatility The global economic landscape is facing ...
Post a Comment
Read more