Lord Ram, who is also known as the son-in-law of Mithila was married to Goddess Sita, the daughter of Janak, the then king of Mithila.
The people of Mithilanchal comprising several districts of Bihar are clamouring for the name of the new temple to be ‘Siya-Ram Mandir’ or ‘Ram-Janaki Mandir’, instead of singular Sri Ram. Janaki is yet another name of the Goddess Sita.
With the unanimous five-member bench of the Supreme Court pronouncing its historic verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue on November 09, 2019, it is very clear that a Mandir, not a Masjid, will be rebuilt on the site where Lord Ram as incarnation of Vishnu was brought into the world in the Treta epoch.
At the birthplace existed a temple, which was converted into a mosque in 1528 under the rule of the emperor Babar, it will see a restoration in a way as late as in 2019. The 1928 edition of the Faizabad Gazetteer well recorded the fact of the destruction of an ancient temple of Lord Ram on the site. Remarkably, the British rule, which documented all these, was in place during the publication of the Gazetteer, which was also brought on record before the apex court.
However, the apex court in its ruling has mentioned the historical wrongs cannot be corrected by courts.
The Supreme Court Ayodhya Verdict running through 1045 pages, in biblical nature, may be regarded as legal magnum opus which every citizen of the country must possess, study and understand. It has taken several verses of the Ramayana—which is now recognized and certified by the apex judicial body of the country. In my opinion, it should be incorporated into the curriculum of higher education in the country.
This is a great example of tolerance practiced in Hinduism over eras. The wrongs committed by the then emperor Babar are now being settled by the courts of law at the present moment. Hindus have always demonstrated a great sense of faith in the judicial processes of the country. It reaffirms the world view that Hindu Dharma is a great philosophy, practice for mankind, human civilisation and co-existence. The bonding and sense of living together are the basis of Indian cultural ethos and values.
At the same time, female members of the society are pointing their fingers towards an approach of male chauvinism. They have begun to raise voices for equality in all aspects. Fairly good! However, this is India wherein Hinduism, the pairings like Radha-Krishna, not Krishna-Radha, Siya- Ram or Sita Ram, not Ram Siya are enchanted in all rituals all the time.
What lies in Indian cultural ethos is to give due respect to women folks. The Manusmriti, an ancient legal text among the many Dharmasatras of Hinduism at its verses 3/56 say, यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः । यत्रैतास्तु न पूज्यन्ते सर्वास्तत्राफलाः क्रियाः। (Where women are worshiped, there lives God. Wherever they are not worshipped, all actions fail).
Such are the Indian verses, virtues and practices. No yagya—the sacrament, is supposed to be complete unless both male and female partake in the rituals and ceremonies.
“A house without a woman cannot run properly. She often handles the work at home and even outside efficiently. Hence, attaching due respect to the female completes the life cycle. Moreover, creation of mankind is subject to both partners- male and female”, says Gauri Rani from Bihar settled in Delhi with her boutique.
The naming of the upcoming temple needs consideration given the Indian verses, philosophy and recognition of women’s role in human life and the concept of social equilibrium. Moreover, it is more significant when the government has begun to lay emphasis on women education and their participation in every walk of life, be it jobs, politics, administration, management or business houses.