How Hanuman Garhi priest's Ayodhya Ram Mandir visit will create history
Ayodhya is set to witness an unprecedented procession on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Wednesday. The mahant of Ayodhya's revered Hanuman Garhi Temple, a must-visit for Ayodhya pilgrims, is set to break a centuries-old "constitutional" rule. Seventy-year-old Mahant Prem Das will be stepping outside the Hanuman Garhi's 52-bigha premises for the first time, barring a hospital trip, for a darshan of Lord Ram.advertisementThe mahant of Hanuman Garhi Temple is considered to be the custodian of Ayodhya and supposed to be ever-present at the shrine.However, on Wednesday, he will deviate from the norm of centuries. Das, atop a chariot flanked by elephants, horses, camels, silver sceptres, and a sea of devotees, will make his ceremonial journey of a kilometre to the newly built Ram Mandir, reported news agency PTI.
So, what triggered this unprecedented move by the 'Gaddi Nasheen' of Hanuman Garhi? Why break a centuries-old tradition now? What held him back all these years, and is there a political message too?HANUMAN GARHI'S MAHANT IS THE 'GADDI NASHEEN'The rule of the 'Gaddi Nasheen' not going out, comes from the Hanuman Garhi's "samvidhan" (constitution), which dates back over 200 years, when the shrine became the principal seat of the Nirvani Akhara, according to The India Express. The Nirvani Akhara is a prominent and influential Shaiva monastic order.advertisement"The tradition that started with the establishment of the temple in the 18th century was so strict that the 'Gaddi Nasheen' was barred from appearing even before local courts," Ayodhya resident Prajjwal Singh told news agency PTI.According to local belief, Lord Ram entrusted his kingdom to Hanuman while departing from the earth, positioning Hanuman as Ayodhya's eternal guardian. The 'Gaddi Nasheen', as Lord Hanuman's living representative, is required to remain within the temple premises. It was his unwavering duty to protect the city in Ram's and Hanuman's presence, according to The Indian Express.The land for Hanuman Garhi was donated in 1855 by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh. WHAT PROMPTED HANUMAN GARHI'S MAHANT TO STEP OUT?The 'Gaddi Nasheen' of the Hanuman Garhi, breaking the tradition, is actually moved by recurring divine dreams for several months.Mahant Prem Das reported experiencing recurring dreams in which Lord Hanuman commanded him to visit the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.Interpreting these visions as a divine directive, Das sought permission from the Nirvani Akhara's panchayat, a 400-member council, which convened on April 21 and unanimously approved the visit, according to the report."The procession will be taken out with horses and elephants, there will be 'nishan', then there will be Naga Sadhus. We will worship at Sarayu, we will then take a holy dip. 'Chappan bhog' will be offered," Mahant Prem Das told PTI.advertisement"Then, we will do 'darshan' of Ram Lalla. We will pray for the prosperity and health of people," added Das.The procession will begin at 7 am with Mahant Prem Das on a chariot, but he will switch to a four-wheeler to enter the Ram Mandir due to security protocols in the temple.POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 'GADDI NASHEEN'S' RAM MANDIR VISITAlthough the unprecedented visit of the 'Gaddi Nasheen' to the Ram Mandir, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya, has religious symbolism, there is political significance too.The pran prathistha of the idol of Ram Lalla on January 22, 2024, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, represented a landmark moment for millions of devotees that came after centuries of struggle.Hanuman Garhi is historically distanced from the Ram Mandir movement due to its distinct religious identity and commitment to spiritual neutrality. The Mandir Movement culminated in the construction of the Ram temple in 2024, after a Supreme Court verdict.In 2016, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, then the party's vice-president, visited Ayodhya, he chose to offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi, giving the Ram Janmabhoomi site a miss. Though the site was just about a kilometre away, Rahul stayed away from the spot where the 'shilanyas' (foundation stone) for the Ram Temple had been done by kar sevaks in 1989, according to a PTI report from September 2016.advertisementThe visit, which came months before the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, was seen as a Brahmin-centric campaign by the Congress scion. The mahant's visit to the Ram Mandir on Wednesday might draw some attention from a few political quarters.In every way, Wednesday's visit by Hanuman Garhi mahant to the Ram Mandir is significant as it creates history, breaking away from a centuries-old tradition.
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