Ritu Jha–
Braving rain and sub-55F temperatures, hundreds of Hindus and Sikhs from the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a massive 1000-car rally on Sunday to celebrate ‘Lord Ram’s Homecoming’. The rally began at 1 pm and ended eight hours later at 9 pm.
WATCH: indica’s LIVE coverage of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya
Rally organizers said that they participated with the belief that the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will unify Hinduism. Some even fasted to observe the big day, while others participated because they identify themselves to be part of Kshatriya [Warrior] community. “Lord Ram was Kshatriya,” Pankaj Ansal, founder of the non-profit United Punjab Front, told indica. “We work towards the unity of the Hindu and Sikh communities.”

Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA) California chapter’s Deepti Mahajan, who was one of the rally’s lead organizers, told indica that they planned this in mid-December. “We had three buses full of people, apart from 1000 cars and 15-20 bikers.”
Mahajan, who is also the executive director of a social justice non-profit named Chingari, said VHPA works at the grassroots level. “We thought we’d do a small rally at the Golden Gate Bridge. But then people kept joining us… the idea was to bring all the people together.”
She said 150 Tesla cars synchronized to play Ram bhajans (devotional songs) at the city of Fremont Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Station. “The emotions were high with 2,000 people dancing to Ram bhajans tune. It was raining, but the people did not stop. The rally started at 1 pm, while the Tesla show was at 8 pm. We returned home only at 10 pm.”
Mahajan, who has been to Ayodhya and wants to go again, has been observing a 11-day fast along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I will break my fast on Monday night after the Pran Pratishtha,” she said.”

Ansal, who hails from Punjab, said, “It has been a long, long wait (for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya). It’s natural to be a part of the movement and support it. Punjab has a close relationship with Lord Ram because his mother Kausalya was from the region.”
He said he is glad that he is able to witness the temple in his lifetime. “It’s not just a Hindu thing,” Ansal said. “It’s more of community building, and shows that the country is one, our lineage is one. Our gurus fought for Ayodhya temple such as. Nihang Baba Fakir Singh Khalsa [who captured Ayodhya’s Babri Masjid in 1858].”
He added, “There is a reference of Lord Ram in Guru Granth Sahib (the holy book of the Sikhs). We go back to our roots and we find that unity is the message of Guru Granth Sahib.”
Ritesh Tandon, a Hindu congressman running from California US Congressional District 17, said January 22 is a day of celebration because “Ramji is coming home after 500 years.”
He told indica, “We see Hindus becoming united. If we are united, we can protect our country, our children and our voice. People of every faith should teach their religion to their children, but should not impose their religion on others. Everyone should live peacefully.”
On the accusation that some people are politicizing the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, Tandon said, “So many Sikh community people joined us. Some Muslim friends congratulated us on Ram temple and its consecration, and they respect our religion. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modiji for bringing all faiths together.”