Ritu Jha–
“I didn’t think I will see the Ram Mandir being built in my lifetime,” said Gaurang G. Vaishnav (in pic above), the only official invitee from the from US to visit Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony of the grand Ram Temple in the holy city. Preparations are in full swing for the ceremonial installation of Ram Lalla’s idol (infant form of Lord Ram) at the under-construction temple in Ayodhya. The January 22 event will be attended by more than 6,000 persons including 100 dignitaries from 55 countries.
READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya
Vaishnav, a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) advisory board, has been associated with the organization since 1971.
In an interview with indica over the phone about his much-awaited visit to India to be part of the grand ceremony, Vaishnav said the RSS and VHP are active in 53 countries. The Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust has decided to invite one person from each country, from both groups.
“Not even our spouses have been invited. I feel honored to have been invited to the consecration ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” he told indica.
READ: Justice Markandey Katju asks some questions on Lord Ram and his temple in Ayodhya
Vaishnav, however, says he would have preferred somebody younger from the VHPA to get the “exposure”. “I’d asked them to find somebody else. I have experienced enough in my life and I thought that somebody else should get the chance to attend this historic event. But they felt that I was the senior-most in this group and that I should go,” said the 79-year old Vaishnav, who has been the general secretary of the organization for several years.
He had been part of the VHPA team that worked in the US to educate people about the organization and its priorities after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. “We drew a lot of flak because of the incident. In August 1993 we had planned a major conference in Washington DC to commemorate the centenary of Swami Vivekananda’s address in Chicago.
“But after the Babri Masjid incident happened on December 6, 1992, there was a lot of pressure from the Indian government on all the dignitaries not to attend the conference. Dalai Lama, Atal Vajpayee, and other VIPs couldn’t come to the event but despite all that we continued. We had a very good conference it was attended by 10,000 attendees from across the world. It was a major success despite a lot of difficulty,” Vaishnav said, recalling the after impact of 1992.
Sharing his plan to visit Ayodhya e said that on January 20 to attend the consecration ceremony he said, “We will reach Lucknow on January 20 and the next day at some point they will be taking us to Ayodhya by bus. On January 23 we’ll return to Lucknow,” said Vaishnav.
“It is a historic occasion for all Indians. But, at that time it seemed like this would never happen because of the court cases and because of the opposition of subsequent governments. But it is now going to happen and that too on a grand scale. I didn’t think I will see the Ram Mandir being built and Article 370 being removed from Jammu & Kashmir during my lifetime. I’m very happy and this is something unbelievable. We are living for the history.”
Vaishnav said he is committed to sponsoring his visit and stay in India. “I don’t know yet which hotel they will put us up in, they’ll take care of it but we are paying for it. This has been our tradition from the beginning that whatever we do we’ll spend our own money. We cannot waste public money on these visits,” Vaishnav said.
“Some people think it is a victory over Muslims, nothing like that. As we know, thousands of temples were raised by Muslim invaders and rulers. Of these, there are three major places — Ayodhya, Mathura, and Kashi.
READ: The luxurious tent city in Ayodhya
“In any society, it is natural that these should be reclaimed and that is happening now. We have built a proper temple at Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya and it should be a day of celebration for all nationals, not only Hindus because everybody lives in India and has the same culture. You may be Parsi, Muslim, or Christian, but culturally we are all affiliated.”
This is not the first time that Vaishnav will be going to Ayodhya. “I’ve been there before. After the firing on Kar Sevaks in Ayodhya in 1990, the Babri Masjid structure was still there, I visited the site in 1991 for a news article.”
But this visit will be quite different, he acknowledged. “The security protocols are very strict and we will not be able to take even our phones but I will offer prayers on behalf of all my colleagues in the US and for everybody who has worked with us to realize this dream. That’s all I can take with me.”
When asked about the controversies that surround the consecration ceremony, Vaishnav denied all claims that the ceremony is against the Hindu scriptures as the temple is not yet fully complete.
“It is all a creation of media. There is no controversy. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is ready. Only the second floor is under construction, which is going to house a hall. The main part of the temple is complete and one has to understand that this committee of temple trust consists of people who are highly revered and educated. And they wouldn’t do anything that is not according to our religious scriptures.”
He added, “They have picked an auspicious day and time for the consecration. People will find fault and like the Congress have rejected the invitation to attend the event. But that is senseless and they are looking at it only from the political angle. Bhagwan Ram is everybody’s and shouldn’t be viewed like this.”
He further said, “Unfortunately, that’s the way it is. But that’s okay because Congress has objected to this from the beginning. Congress had appealed in the Supreme Court saying that Ram was a myth. So maybe they don’t deserve to be there. Regardless, I think it’s going to be a grand event for everybody. We may not even realize now but down the road history will notice this national event where people are coming from all over the world.”
Though Vaishnav does not expect to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this visit, he has met him earlier when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. “I met Narendrabhai several times when he was in Gujarat. I’m happy he’s doing exactly what’s supposed to be done by a good Prime Minister.”
