Dr. Koenraad Elst recounts his recent trip to Ayodhya, while analysing its historicity and devotional zeal; and takes an evaluative look at the road ahead for Hindus to preserve important dharmik sites from the tourism-driven, possibly unnecessary beautification and commercialisation.
The recent upheaval about a Hindu temple for Thalaivetti Muniyappan (“Muni Baba with the broken head”) in Salem TN, apparently a patched-up and restored Buddha statue, and therefore taken away from its worshippers by Court order with the prospect of giving it to the Buddhists , reminds us of a similar line of argument in the Ayodhya debate of 1990-91.
Places of pilgrimage are protected regardless of whether the reason for their sacredness can be proven.
The blatant denial of the existence of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya by western academia even after the court verdict amply displays their hostility towards it.
Ayodhya's significance has never waned in the minds of Hindus as they have continued their struggles to reclaim it for centuries on end.
The scars from centuries of violence refused to heal which is why the fight for Ram Janmabhoomi never died down.
Multiple attacks through the centuries with epigraphic evidence shows the importance of Ayodhya.
A chronological order through what several disciplines — archaeology, epigraphy and history in particular — have contributed to our knowledge of the ancient city of Ayodhya.
The facts about Ayodhya are often obscured by Western media outlets by suppressing the Hindus' claim to the Ram temple.
Despite repeated onslaughts, Hindus found innovative ways to protect their civilization.