Omkar Dattatray
Now that the ceremony of consecration of Lord Ram is about to take place in Ayodhya at the birth place of Ram and there is great enthusiasm and fervor among the Indian’a cutting across the divide of religion and caste .In fact the foundation for Hindutva and Ram Rajya will be laid on the 22th January 2024 and the ceremony of Pran Prateshita of Lord Ram and the inauguration of the magnificent temple will be performed and all this is a stepping stone to Ram Rajya which is the ideal rule and which was the dream of the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi .Ram Rajya is the ideal rule which is based on good governance and transparency and in it justice will be given to all citizens irrespective of the religion and faith .Ram Rajya will not discriminate and differentiate between its citizens on the basis of religion .Ram Rajya is not theocratic and tolerance and communal harmony is the motto and essence of Ram Rajya and therefore there should be no reservation about the Ram Rajya .Had Ram Rajya being theocratic and anti secular ,then Gandhi would not have advocated Ram Rajya .It seems that the nation is marching towards Hindutva and it will also pave way for the establishment of Ram Rajya in due course of time .The nation has no hurry for the installation of Ram Rajya and it may takes many years before Ram Rajya is established .But the reality is that the foundation of the Ram Rajya has been laid and it may be many years from now to establish the Ram Rajya which is the ideal rule and good governance .But the beginning of the Ram Rajya has been made and the saffron government of the centre and the saffron government of the states may establish Ram Rajay in due course of time and there is no reservation about it .The fact that whole Hindu community rather all Indian’s are unified and it is the emergence of Hindutva and then the Ram Rajya as the journey of Ram Rajya has started and no power on the earth can withhold it or stalled it .Ayodhya has the potential to become a spiritual city like Vatican and Mecca .While much has changed in Ayodhya since the landmark verdict ,the Ram temple issue and the history of the dispute continues to weigh on minds of many people .The new year,2024 is significant as Ram Lalla will be seated in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram temple in Ayodhya and the general elections will be held .Ram temple chief priest Achraya Satyendra Das said ,Not just peace but the beginning of Ram Rajya is now a fact .Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that through the installation of Lord Rama’s statue at the Ram temple in Ayodhya,the foundation has been laid for’ Ram Rajya’. Speaking after releasing a CD on Lord Ram brought out by Jayashree Arvind ,Bommai added ,”Ram Rajya -means an ”opportunity for all and prosperity ,and no sign of poverty anywhere .He further said,’ ‘A time must come for everything and Lord Ram had been kept out of his birthplace in Ayodhya for more than 500 years .The Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram has been fixed for January22.This is a great moment .It seems everything would be decided earlier because on Thursday ,Lord Ram entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple .Today ,the songs on Lord Ram were released which was quite a coincidence. ”He said, ”Lord Rama’s avatar is very special as he is the avatar of Lord Vishnu .”It is from Ram Mandir to Ram Rajya -convergence of never ending faith and good governance .The temple serves as a reminder of the nation’s ability to navigate its diverse and complex history ,fostering a future where cultural identity and progress go hand in hand .The Ram temples eagerly anticipated consecration on January 22,2024 ,is set to be a seminal event in the tapestry of Indian history ,intertwining time -honored traditions of the past with the robust progress of contemporary India .However ,there is a long history that led to the re-establishment of the Ram Temple, .A history that is deeply intertwined with a complex and longstanding dispute that epitomizes the challenges of communal harmony in India .The reconstruction of the Ram Mandir transcends its role as a mere religious edifice .It represents a confluence of faith ,unity ,and a celebration of India’s rich civilizational heritage .It signals the dawn of a new chapter of hope and spiritual awakening .Every brick laid in the temple ,imbued with devotion and reflective of India’s renewed spirit ,contributes to this historic monument .It stands not only a place of worship but also as a symbol of collective aspirations and rejuvenated spirit of India .The re-establishment of Shri Ram Janamboomi temple transcends national and religious barriers ,holding profound significance globally .It is part of a larger strategy to foster national unity and a cultural renaissance .Further it stands as a testament to faith ,unity and the continuity of civilization ,differing from other monuments in its profound emblematic representation .It is in fact will pave way to the broader concept and practice of Ram Rajya in the long run ”.Daihik daivik bhautic tapa,Ramraj nahin kahuhi bypa —-Nahin Daridra kou dukhi na dina,Nahi kou abudha na lakshan hina—-.”The concept of ‘Ram Rajya’ revered in Indian culture ,epitomizes an ideal state characterized by justice ,equality ,universal brotherhood and welfare of all, resonating with the aspirations of modern democracies and welfare states .This vision ,eloquently articulated by poet -saint Tulsidas ,envisages a society free from suffering where every individual is nurtured and cared for .In Ramcharitmanas ,Lord Ram exemplifies this ideal ,representing the essence of democratic values ,dignified conduct ,and societal welfare .His just and prosperous reign in Kosala serves as a timeless model for virtuous governance. The Ram Mandir, thus ,stands as a symbol of these enduring principles ,bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary societal values .Its significance ,heightened by the global attention it garners ,especially with the consecration ceremony ,reaffirms its status as a monument of historical and cultural importance .This temple not only represents the age -old ideal of Ram Rajya but also resonates with the principles outlined in the Indian republic’s constitution ,mirroring the ethos of an ancient Bharatiya republic redefined within a modern constitutional framework .This fusion of traditional values and contemporary governance ,championed by figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay ,continues to inspire a balance between ethical leadership and societal welfare .Under Prime minister Narendra Modi ,the Indian government has embarked on a journey of Nav Kalyanwaad (new welfarism) ,echoing the principles of Ram Rajya .Initiatives such As the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana ,a financial inclusion programme ,embody the principles of economic empowerment by providing access to banking services for the unbanked .Similarly ,the Ayushman Bharat program,offering health insurance to under privileged ,echoes the Ram Rajya tenet of healthcare for all .The government’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’s resonate with the ideals of Ram Rajya .Now the consecration of Lord Ram’s idol and the inauguration of the grand Ram temple is more than a religious ceremony but it will lay the foundation stone for the Ram Rajya in the final analysis and in the long term.
(The author is a columnist,
social and KP activist).
