Ayodhya: Moment of Disappointment
Magnificent celebrations are happening in India and the diaspora right now, celebrating the groundbreaking for a government supported temple project in the Indian city of Ayodhya. While I’m all for a good celebration and building spiritual healing centers, I don’t support this project or all the Hindu nationalism that is being infected with conservative Hindu thought and deep seated Islamophobia.
The site of this temple has been a hotbed of faith-based violence for decades, mostly spurred by members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a conservative training ground for the BJP- the leading political party led by Modi). In Hindu mythology, Ayodhya is the birthplace of Rama, a god that represents righteous living and leadership for conservative-leaning folks on the political spectrum. I have my own feelings about Rama but that’s for another day.
Some historians note that Mughal Emperor Babur, who ruled in in the 1500’s had the Babri Masjid built on the site that notes the existence of foundations from a previous building. Some Hindus argue that it was built on the site of an ancient temple to Rama even after the Supreme Court found no such proof. Though the Mosque has been an important place of worship for Muslims since the 1500’s, a prominent shifting point was December 1992 when a group of Hindu extremists, self-identified members of the VHP attacked and destroyed parts of the Babri Masjid and placed idols of Rama inside the mosque. Hindu-Muslim violence erupted around the country, ending with over 2,000 people and hundreds of protests.
Though many legal battles have taken place, the Indian Supreme Court has been wishy-washy until 2019 when they gave the green light for temple construction by demolishing this mosque. And today, Modi is going to celebrate this moment by having a ground breaking ceremony and placing a silver brick to begin construction. August 5 is the same date when, in 1989, VHP activists tried to begin construction on this temple and failed.
I can’t begin to share my frustration at this government and Hindus who are celebrating this as a victory which seems eerily similar to White supremacists protecting confederate statues. Even more so coming from a religious tradition based on pluralism and contradictions. The government is even funding part of what is being touted as the biggest temple in India. During the middle of a global pandemic with millions of Indians of all religions suffering with lack of work, money and healthcare infrastructure, the Indian government is putting citizens at risk and spending money that could better address inequities. This space could have been built as a healing ground with interfaith advocacy and community programs built to enhance infrastructure and community relations.
Yet Hindus around the world are celebrating this moment as some sort of victory. Thankfully, a group of progressive South Asian American organizations were successful in disrupting plans to project images of Rama in NYC’s Times Square as part of the celebrations. As a Hindu person with deep roots in my tradition, I’m disappointed that many folks, especially my family members, see this as a joyful occasion while I am worried about what forms of religious violence and disenfranchisement this will inspire. As we have seen in the U.S., extremist leaders and followers often wreak havoc for marginalized people.
Many Hindus are being asked to celebrate lamps as a sign of solidary with the temple, VHP and the conservative Hindutva movement. I will be supporting local Muslim communities and reflecting on how to make sense of this moment.
Learn more:
https://thewire.in/world/times-square-ram-temple-ad-stopped
