In conversation with Champat Rai Ji on "Shri Ram: Symbol of Oneness of Inner Self across India"

UNHEARD VOICES:  It is said that the Ram Temple is being viewed as an epitome of Hindu unity cutting caste or varna lines. Could you please elaborate on this in detail from the architectural point of view?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI: This information is accurate. Let me inform you that the idol of Jatayu was installed in that temple today. Jatayu was a contemporary of Bhagwan Shri Ram. He wilfully fought against Ravana and kept himself alive till he informed Bhagwan Shri Ram about the location of Devi Seeta. Though Jatayu is considered to be a bird, this has a social importance attached to it. Bhagwan Shri Ram could not carry out the last rites of his father. However, he offered the oblation of water mixed with sesame (Tilanjali) to Jatayu.

Known as the First Poet of India (Adi Kavi of Bharatvarsh), Maharshi Valmiki was a contemporary of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Maharshi Valmiki was the first one to describe the consummate personality of Bhagwan Shri Ram. He fostered Mata Janaki. He gave comprehensive training to both sons of Mata Janaki including the acumen of war. Therefore, his life must be known, understood and celebrated. Maharshi Valmiki’s temple will be constructed on the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple complex. That too has social significance. Rishi Vashishtha was the teacher of Bhagwan Shri Ram’s entire kindred (Kul Guru). However, Maharshi Vishwamitra taught the acumen of war to Bhagwan Shri Ram. Therefore, temples of both these sages will be constructed. Rishi Agastya, the sage from South India, had taught the Aditya Uday Stotra to Bhagwan Shri Ram when the war against Ranava began so that Bhagwan Shri Ram emerged victorious. A temple of Maharshi Agastya will be constructed. The social importance of this can be understood by recalling the social classes (Varnas) these people belonged to.

When Bhagwan Shri Ram went to live in the forest (Vanvasa), he needed a ferryman to cross the River Ganga at a distance of some 150 km from Ayodhya. Raja Guha or Nishadraj was a king of the community of ferrymen. The community living along the banks of the Rivers Ganga and Yamuna is known by the titles of Kewat, Nishad, Bind etc and it has remained socially, educationally, and economically backward even today. Nishadraj was the first person with whom Bhagwan Shri Ram bounded and he helped Bhagwan Shri Ram cross the river on his terms and conditions. So much, he seeks Moksha for himself. The Temple of Nishadraj will be built.

Bhagwan Shri Ram found a mother in Mata Shabari during his stay in the forest (Vanvasa). She tasted fruits herself before offering them to Bhagwan Shri Ram. Her temple will be built. Rishi Patni Ahilya had turned into a stone due to a curse. Bhagwan Shri Ram touches the stone and she returns to life. Her temple will be built.

What was the stature of Nishadraj, Shabari, and Jayatu in comparison with Bhagwan Shri Ram, who was an ascendant of the Sun himself, a prince born to a sovereign (Chakravarti) emperor? Bhagwan Shri Ram all of them as a part of his own self. The world needs this message today. Therefore, these temples will be built there to give this message.

Several thousand years ago, Shankaracharya foot-walked from Kerala to Badrinath understanding all aspects of the society worshipping many categories of Gods and Goddesses. He used the term of five sacred deities (Panchayatan). The first deity in the Panchayatan is Bhagwan Vishnu, the second is Shankar, the third is Bhagvati, the fourth is Ganapati and the fifth is the Sun (Surya). Shankaracharya said to install any one of these in the middle and build temples of the remaining four around that deity. Thus, he unified the worshippers of all deities.

Bhagwan Shri Ram received maximum support from Hanuman, the servitude personified, during his stay in the forest. Break the term Wanar used to describe Hanuman and you get Wa and Nar, a man living in forest. Bhagwan Hanuman’s temple will be built. All these are architectural components of the temple.

Bhagwan Shri Ram, during his entire life, never differentiated among people. The Ramayana authored by Rishi Valmiki is called Valmiki Ramayana. However, in South India, Ram’s life is depicted through Kamba Ramayana. There is Adhyatma Ramayana in Malyalam. And, in North India, Sant Tulsidas authored Ramcharitmanas in the local language 500 years ago. If we look through the length and breadth of India, we find the life story of Bhagwan Shri Ram written in every language. It is said there are 60 versions of the life story of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Bhagwan Shri Ram has called Bhagwan Shankara his father and Bhagwan Shankara considers Bhagwan Shri Ram as his father. This advocates oneness in two different methods of worship (Upasana Paddhati). Thus, Bhagwan Shri Ram reaches far ahead of integration and emerges as an apologue for the oneness ofthe inner self.

Bhagwan Shri Ram is worshipped in every state of India. Though Bhagwan Shri Ram was born in North India, Kamba Ramayana and Adhyatma Ramayana are recited in every household in South India, some 2,000 km from Bhagwan Shri Ram’s birthplace, during the month of Shravana. The life story of Bhagwan Shri Ram binds all cross sections of the society with a common bond. We experience this here every day. There are around 3,000 temples of 32 types of castes in Ayodhya. Bhagwan Shri Ram is worshipped in all these temples including the Brahmakund Gurudwara where Guru Nanak had stayed 500 years ago. Guru Nanak Dev too belonged to the ancestry of the God Sun to which Bhagwan Shri Ram belonged.

Also Read:  In conversation with Kameshwar Chaupal on 'Prabhu Shri Ram: Key to Social Integration'

Recently we carried out a fund collection drive (Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan) for the construction of the temple. Our volunteers approached a politician from Mizoram. The politician exclaimed Ram is even in the name of our state - Mizo + Ram - and made his contributions to the construction of the temple. The Buddhas too contributed to the temple. Some 10 crore people from across the country have contributed to the creation of the temple.

Bhagwan Shri Ram symbolizes national integration and the oneness of the inner self. We would recreate things that were witnessed in the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram here in the form of idols made of stone and fibre. Thus, our idea of a temple is not merely sacramental; it is the concept of showcasing the unity of the entire India in one place.

UNHEARD VOICES: - How have you conceptualized the program scheduled on the 22nd keeping this idea in mind?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - Installation of the idol (Pranpratishtha) is on January 22, the period when North India has coolest, cloudy, foggy weather. Our effort is to ensure that Sages and pontiffs of 125 traditions of India attend the function. These include sages and pontiffs of people from seven sister states of the North East, aboriginal communities, known as Adivasi, Valmiki, Ravidasi, Banjar etc communities, people living by the sea shores, traditions of Gurus, schools of philosophy, priests from all linguist states etc all parts of India. Their names are being compiled and they are being contacted through various means such as telephones. Besides, meritorious people from all fields such as sportspersons, scientists, writers, litterateurs, poets, journalists, corporates who are working for self-reliant India, former administrative and police officers who dedicated their lives to the nation, military officers who have been honoured with gallantry medals for guarding the borders and their family members, families of all those who laid down their lives for Ram Janmabhoomi - many of them might not be even known to people, successful people belonging to various cross sections of society such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and etc, one representative each of Indians living in 50 foreign countries will attend the function. This homework is being done to ensure that the entire India is represented at the function.

Of course, there are some limitations. There is limited space to sit at the construction site. We attempt to provide seating arrangements for 8,000 people. However, work on clearing space to make seating arrangements has commenced. Chairs will be placed in available space.

UNHEARD VOICES: - What are efforts made to allow people who cannot reach Ayodhya to participate?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - We are appealing to the people to assemble at any temple at the place where they might be at or around 10 am on Monday, January 22nd 2024 and perform worship of the deity of that temple to celebrate the occasion. All deities have one spirit. Thus, we are providing an opportunity to worship for everyone. We have to show the oneness of India to the entire world.

People are also appealed to light five lights in front of their houses after sunset. We have yielded success in restoring the honour of India after 500 years of incessant struggle. A foreign aggressor had hurt the pride of India by demolishing a temple 500 years ago. We have restored it.

UNHEARD VOICES: - Are you making efforts to attract the people, separated from the religion due to various reasons, back to the religion on this occasion?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - We prepared sacred rice grains (Akshat) at Ayodhya and sent them to 100 centres across India. Volunteers from each of the 100 centres arrived at Ayodhya, each performed pooja of the sacred rice grains (Akshat) and took them back to their respective centres. Now they will be distributed in all districts and every village. These sacred rice grains (Akshat) will be provided to every house from January 1 to 15 by the local volunteers. We have sent the sacred rice grains (Akshat) to places as far as Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Besides, lakhs of volunteers are longing to visit Ayodhya. This is a tiny town, but 3,000 temples are situated here. We have finalized dates district-wise for the volunteers to visit Ayodhya to avoid overcrowding. We have made arrangements for 5,000 volunteers per day to visit Ayodhya from 26th January to 26th February in a disciplined manner so that accommodation and food can be provided to them. We expect two lakh visitors per day. We would operate at least 40 community kitchens across Ayodhya to serve food. This will also help bind the nation together. A Muslim family from Ayodhya has approached us offering its land with all the facilities to operate a kitchen there. We have accepted that offer. We have asked volunteers to contact medical colleges and 150 doctors have volunteered to arrive at Ayodhya to provide medical treatment to the needy.

UNHEARD VOICES: - But some elements are trying to mislead the people. Propaganda is on that the Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan is strong in North India and has no effect in South India. How do you counter it?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - There is no need for us to counter it. People from Chennai have approached with the offer to feed people free of cost. People from Nagpur and other parts of Tamil Nadu have also approached. Of course, the disgruntled dying for credit will try to spread negativity. But they too are Bhaktas of Bhagwan Shri Ram. There would be some differences in such a vast society. We have to tolerate it. Our experience shows that such things make no impact on society.

UNHEARD VOICES: - Do you or any other Hindu organization have plans to strengthen this spirit after the work of temple creation is completed?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - I believe spreading awareness about the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram would give a message in itself. We are trying to do it. All books depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram will be procured and preserved here. People would be able to see them. Right now, only the construction of the temple and its infrastructure is going on. The work may take a couple of years. Attention will be paid to other things after that.

UNHEARD VOICES: - The Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan has been on for forty years now. Why did it take such a long time?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - The Shastras have the adage that there are big hurdles in big work. Indians struggled incessantly for almost 1,000 years in different ways to free India from slavery to see the dawn of 15th August 1947. Here we are calculating from the aggression of Muhammad bin Qasim in Sindh. People of Ayodhya, sages and kings have been struggling incessantly since 1578. Even women have fought, riding horses and wielding swords. We gradually advanced in every battle. Participation of all cross sections of society became possible in 1984 due to the initiative taken by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Our society forgets easily and immediately. Many times, people keep quiet in the name of God’s wish. The effort to awaken them was done in eight years from 7th October 1984 till 6th December 1992. The legal battle started in 1950. The first civil case was in 1950. The second civil case by a sage was in 1950. The second civil case by an ancestry of sages was in 1959. The community established its right on the spot in 1949. Muslims filed their first civil suit in 1961. Surprisingly, the Muslim community did not do anything from 1949 till 1961. Another surprising fact is that 25 Muslims of Ayodhya-Faizabad have never assembled on the street against the Ram Janmabhoomi. There is a Muslim population in the surrounding area but not even five Muslims ever walked down to Ayodhya to protest. They opposed while sitting inside their houses through the journalists. Still, it took time from 1950 to 2019 to wind it up using legal resources. Now, when the work is accomplished, there is no point in criticizing.

UNHEARD VOICES: - How much has the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign contributed to uniting the Hindus by overcoming caste differences etc?

SHRI CHAMPAT RAI:: - Let me give an example of my own experience as to how the name of Bhagwan Shri Ram united people. While I was working in the Agra area in 1989, I had a meeting of people of all castes living in Agra. Some youths asked me to speak on a specific incident in the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram. I remained quiet because I did not want to indulge in any negativity. But, an elderly man said, `Sit down, this is not about politics’. Let me recall another experience in Agra, where I worked with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for five years. I found that people, who earlier never chanted the slogan of Jai Shriram, were seen raising the same slogan. I was curious why the change had taken place. When we sought information, it came to light that the change had come because the women had insisted on chanting the name of Bhagwan Shri Ram. We must respect this feeling of the society.

A procession is taken out in Agra on the birth anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. In 1985-86, RSS received information that the Dr Ambedkar Birth Anniversary Procession does not wind through a particular market. Our volunteers talked to the traders operating on that route. They had no objection to the procession, but an unfortunate incident had taken place long past in 1946-47. The procession started going through that market after we explained that unfortunate incidents keep on happening. To date, the Dr Ambedkar Birth Anniversary Procession passes through that market.

Four temples of Bhagwan Shiva are situated on four sides of the town. The custom of offering worship at all four temples in the month of Shravan prevails for years. People from all mohallas do Parikrama of Ayodhya. This is the real India. Thanks to my association with Vishwa Hindu Parishad, I have had many such experiences. While I was in Agra, 50 youths from each mohalla were selected to do a Cycle Yatra of the entire area . We were shouldering the responsibility of providing accommodations to them in temples. Cycles of all youths went to the office of Prabhu Dutt Brahmachari, he gave Prasad to everyone, served food to them, and provided accommodation to them in his Ashram.

After witnessing all this, I strongly believe that all negative thoughts in our minds will evaporate if we preserve and revere Bhagwan Shri Ram and his life in every house.