Inauguration of Ram Mandir in India

The Pan Asian Alliance is a group made of students with diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, all of which are celebrated through the group. The group has built substantial momentum recently, with an extravagant poster board and fundraiser during Diwali and the upcoming Lunar New Year Red Envelope celebration. 

The club leaders hope to use this momentum to celebrate meaningful events with their community members. One landmark that the Pan Asian Alliance finds extremely important is the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in India. 

The subcontinent of India has a long and complex history that contributes to its modern-day uniqueness as a country. Due to this, India is a culturally diverse but also tolerant place. This is perhaps most noticeably demonstrated by the Hindu and Muslim populations in India. 

India is 79.8% Hindu and 14.2% Muslim, with the clear majority being Hindus. India also has other ethnic groups, such as Sikhs, Jains, and Christians. These diverse ethnic groups make up what is now known as India, despite past conflicts. 

For the majority of India’s history, it has been a Hindu state with many Hindu kings in different regions. Hinduism is practiced with idols and in temples called Mandir, integral sites of worship for devotees. However, in 1526 CE, invaders from the North called Mughals conquered parts of India by defeating local rulers, and establishing the Mughal empire. 

This empire was founded and ruled by the first Mughal emperor, Babur. Babur was known as a staunch Muslim at the early stages of his life and rule but evolved into a more tolerant ruler as he progressed. However, the Mughal empire, under Babur, undertook a series of temple raids throughout India, one of which was the raid of the Ram Mandir in 1528. 

Ram Mandir is a specifically important temple in Hinduism as it is situated in the city of Ayodhya, which is also Ram Janmabhoomi, or the birthplace of the deity Rama. Rama is the protagonist of the ancient Hindu epic the Ramayana, and is a principal figure in Hinduism. Rama is also the avatar of the god Vishnu, the sustainer. 

The destruction of Ram Mandir was one of many in a series of temple raids conducted throughout India under Babur. In order for the land to be repurposed and usable, the Mughal Empire constructed a new monument in its place, a Mosque called Babri Masjid. 

A principal difference between Islam and Hinduism is their interpretation of their God, though both religions are monotheistic at their core. In Islam, idols, or physical representations of God, or Allah, are strictly forbidden, as God does not share divine aspects with any human beings. 

For this reason, the Mughals, as they tore down Ram Mandir, removed and destroyed many of the idols that were worshipped there. However, devoted Hindus kept returning to their place of worship, which was now a mosque, setting up idols and continuing to pray. In 1858, the British administration barred Hindus from worshipping there entirely and built a platform adjacent to the mosque for Hindu worship to continue. 

Babri Masjid stood until December 1922, when a rally grew violent and 150,000 volunteers ascended the mosque, tearing it down with their bare hands. This spark ignited other Hindu-Muslim riots around the country, resulting in a total of 2000 deaths. 

Soon after, the Indian Archeological Survey launched two excavations in 1978 and 2003, finding that the remains of the Hindu temple, Ram Mandir, still stood at the site of the rubble. Various legal battles ensued, but eventually, the land was handed over to a trust, created by the Government of India for the reconstruction of the Ram Mandir. Simultaneously, the Parliament of India also allocated land close by for a new Mosque to be built, allowing both religions to worship in their respective areas.

On January 22nd, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India performed the ceremony of the consecration of the soon-to-be-finished Ram Mandir, marking a massively important milestone in not only India’s history but that of the world. 

With a solution that showed religious cooperation and tolerance despite differences, the inauguration of the Ram Mandir is a sign that religious disputes are largely behind us as a society. 

This reflects a cornerstone of the Pan Asian Alliance: he ability to put differences aside and create lasting connections while celebrating each aspect of each others’ cultures is what makes the group, and others like it, so unique. 

The drive to rebuild Ram Mandir was an attempt to reinstate the guiding principles of India’s ancient land, of justice and pluralism, and to negate the forces of religious compulsion and domination that the Babri Masjid symbolized for many. 

Additionally, Ram Mandir and Ayodhya as a whole are regarded as the first of the seven most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. 

A common misconception is how Ram is regarded in Hinduism. Ram is not particularly worshipped as a god but as an embodiment of the best in man. Ram is known in myth as someone who lives with Dharma, or moral duty/righteousness at all times. Despite unfathomable odds and adversity, he stood for what was right and his duty to his loved ones, making him a role model of sorts for many.

In many ways, Haverford stands for the same principles. The Haverford honor code is not limited to students’ actions on tests or in school, but outside of it as well. Haverford strives for righteousness, integrity, justice, honor, and so much more, all of which can be seen through its students. 

The Pan Asian Alliance has seen success and built momentum recently with fun and eye-catching events, such as their movie night and Diwali poster.

The Pan Asian Alliance has seen success and built momentum recently with fun and eye-catching events, such as their movie night and Diwali poster. However, the club stands for more than the celebration of holidays and community gatherings. Rather, these are tools that the club uses to create connections, and highlight major events affecting the community, all to prove the importance of what Haverford’s virtues stand for.