Ayodhya & Beyond: How Ram Mandir Defines Modi's Civilisational Legacy
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The prime minister's leadership shows that India can honour its traditions without being shackled by them, that it can build a modern state while nurturing its soul
The air in Ayodhya bustles with a pulse—sandalwood and rosewater blended with the faint hum of anticipation—as if the city itself is holding its breath. On Thursday, the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Darbar idols on the temple's first floor, alongside consecrations in six other shrines within its sprawling complex, marked a moment that transcends rituals. The Ram Mandir stands as a bridge between India's ancient soul and its restless modern ambitions, a monument forged from faith, sacrifice, and an unyielding will to reclaim a piece of its story.
The Ram Mandir is no ordinary structure. It embodies centuries of longing and sacrifice—generations who whispered prayers for a temple to Lord Ram as their voices carried the weight of historical wounds. The site, once a battleground of competing narratives, now hosts a soaring edifice of sandstone and marble. Its gold-plated spires pierce the sky like a quiet declaration of victory. Yet, the temple's grandeur lies not just in its scale, but in its improbable speed. From the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict clearing the way to its near-completion in just five years, the Ram Mandir is a testament to what India can achieve when its heart and hands align.
This breakneck pace owes much to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve. He saw the temple not as a mere construction project but as a national vow. Modi's approach was surgical: he appointed Nripendra Mishra, his former principal secretary, to helm the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Mishra, a bureaucrat with a reputation for cutting through red tape, became the project's linchpin. Under his watch, artisans from across India carved stone with techniques passed down through generations. Modi's oversight was relentless, from securing funds to smoothing over bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring the project never stalled. The prime minister regularly reviewed the temple's progress, sending a clear message each time: this was India's mission, and it would not falter.
The Mandir's rise is a mirror to India's evolving cultural narrative. For too long, parts of the nation's intellectual elite viewed overt expressions of Hindu heritage with unease, dismissing them as backward and divisive, or worse, as attempts to discount Indian 'secularism." The temple challenges that hesitance. It stands as an unapologetic embrace of India's spiritual roots, not as a rejection of modernity but as a foundation for it.
The complex itself reflects this balance: alongside the Ram Darbar, temples to Shiva, Hanuman, Ganpati, Surya Dev, Mata Bhagwati, Annapurna, and Sheshavatar weave a tapestry of Sanatan Dharma's pluralism. This is not a monolithic vision of faith but a vibrant mosaic, inviting all to find their place within its fold. The Mandir's inclusivity is manifest by the fact that its doors open to every caste, creed, and community. It is a living symbol of a nation growing comfortable in its own skin, ready to assert its identity on a global stage.
Yes, the Ram Mandir movement was always political. The Ram Mandir itself, apart from being a holy site of worship and a spiritual centre for Hindus, is also a living symbol of Bharat's civilisational resilience. It is a testament to Dharma always prevailing over injustice and adharma. That is truly the essence of Shri Ram himself. Even if it takes over 500 years to reestablish, the final victory of right over wrong is a given. In this case, the wrong was the demolition of the original Ram Mandir by Babur and his army of marauders. It was an out and out act of adharma.
The realisation of the Ram Mandir dream in Ayodhya marks the arrival of the 'political Hindu". This is a Hindu who no longer accepts marginalisation in the name of vote bank politics. This is a Hindu that knows how to take what rightfully belongs to them. This is a Hindu that is proud of Bharat's ancient civilisation, and is not unnecessarily enamoured by alien concepts of 'secularism" and the complete elimination of dharma from politics. This is a Hindu that realises that the establishment of Raj Dharma is critical to India's journey ahead.
Modi's legacy is deeply entwined with this achievement. He has taken a site of historical pain—a wound that festered through decades of legal battles and communal strife—and transformed it into a symbol of unity. His leadership shows that India can honour its traditions without being shackled by them, that it can build a modern state while nurturing its soul.
The temple's construction is a marvel of collective effort. Artisans laboured alongside engineers, their hands shaping stone while cranes hummed overhead. Local communities, from shopkeepers to farmers, rallied to support the influx of workers and pilgrims. The project's funding, drawn from donations across India and the diaspora, reflects a shared stake in its success. This was not the work of one man or one government but of a civilisation pooling its energies toward a singular goal. The result is a structure that feels both timeless and immediate, its carvings telling stories of ancient sages while its very existence speaks to India's modern resolve.
First Published:
June 05, 2025, 12:13 IST
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