Hindu and Muslim families have lived for decades in and around the newly-constructed Ram temple, now a major religious and tourist attraction. The Qureshis and the Sainis speak fondly of their friendship and familial ties. Both say that development projects worth hundreds of crores are muscling into their homes in Ayodhya, threatening to end their neighbourly attachment.
Indians, Episode 5: Nalanda and the Decline of Buddhism
By the early colonial period, Indians had even forgotten that a man called the Buddha had existed in their past! Only in the 19th century did Indians rediscover Nalanda and their amazing Buddhist heritage.
Ex-service chiefs have no place at Ram Temple inauguration. They must guard military values
Officials of senior ranks should not wear military heritage on their sleeves while navigating the rough and tumble of politics, writes Lt General Prakash Menon. (Article from December 2023)
The ASI's role in marshalling dubious evidence in support of the existence of a Ram temple at Ayodhya is the right occasion to assess its activities as a handmaiden of Hindutva, says Omar Khalidi. (Article from 2010)
Temple Construction Meant Small Business Owners in Ayodhya Lost Money – and Hope
While construction and painting are still ongoing in Ayodhya’s three main roads now known as the ‘Ram Path’, ‘Ram Janmabhoomi Path’ and ‘Bhakti Path’, an estimate of between 4,000 and 4,500 shops and homes reportedly have been broken down or displaced.
A timeline of events from the construction of the Babri Masjid in 1528 upon the instructions of Mughal emperor Babur, till the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22, 2024.
As the Ram Mandir is consecrated, the proposed Muhammed bin Abdullah mosque stares at red tape and cash crunch. It exists only as a blueprint. Ismat Ara writes.
After coming to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, the Adityanath government had announced the installation of ambitious statues in Ayodhya. Contradictions and different interests, however, have left these plans at a standstill.
Smile, You're On Camera: The AI Surveillance At Ram Mandir In Ayodhya
Speaking to Decode, Atul Rai, co-founder and CEO of Staqu Technologies, the company behind the AI-powered security system in Ayodhya, said, the company’s JARVIS platform is installed in every camera set up at multiple locations in and around Ayodhya Ram Mandir.
Ayodhya’s Muslims confront grief and anxiety as Ram Temple inauguration nears
More than 7,000 people have been invited to attend the ceremony in person. And tens of thousands of pious Hindus are thronging to the small town to place flowers and gifts inside the temple. Amid these increasing crowds, there is apprehension among Ayodhya’s Muslims.
The Ayodhya ceremony is meant to fuse this ‘electoral kingship’ with popular sovereignty where the notion of ‘people’ is indistinguishable from Hindu nationhood. Asim Ali writes.
India Is Unveiling Its Controversial Temple of Ram. Here’s What to Know
A decades-long flashpoint in India’s sectarian politics is poised to reach a climax next week. The Ram Mandir, a Hindu temple, will be consecrated Jan 22 on a contested holy site once home to a mosque in India’s northern city of Ayodhya.
In Ayodhya, firm linked to BJP leaders sold ecologically sensitive land to Adani – for a big profit
The deal shines a light on the politically connected beneficiaries of the land rush in the temple town – and farmers who lose out by selling their land cheap.
‘There Is Nothing More Unconstitutional, Nothing More Cruel:’ Muslims Before Ram Temple Consecration
Lay low, stay indoors and avoid travel. These are some of the things Indian Muslims we spoke to said they would do, as the BJP and its supporters organise a nationwide celebration on 22 January, with widespread media coverage and State backing. But for most of India’s 200 million Muslims, the temple is still a site of loss and grief.