Temple spotlight on Gujarat146;s faces

He was away in Gujarat but in the build-up to the VHP Sankalp Sammelan in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Narendra Modi was not far from anybody14...

He was away in Gujarat but in the build-up to the VHP Sankalp Sammelan in Ayodhya, Chief Minister Narendra Modi was not far from anybody8217;s mind. Of the 21,000 kar sevaks, or Ram Bhakts as they prefer to be called now, arrested on their way to the VHP meeting, almost 50 per cent were from Gujarat. Karnataka figured second in the number of arrests and Maharashtra third.

Unlike activists from other states, the Gujarat Ram Bhakts were quite young. 8216;8216;Yes, Gujarat dominated the numbers,8217;8217; admits Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, V.K.B. Nair.

Most Ram Bhakts insisted that the October 17 meeting, which eventually was not much of a meeting, was a 8216;8216;semi-final8217;8217; and that they would be back for the actual construction. A look at some of the faces in the VHP picture:

HARI NARAYAN BHAGAT: Age: 64; Education: Matric; Residence: Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This is the second time the retired primary school teacher is part of the Ayodhya kar seva. 8216;8216;I had come in 1990. I remember I pretended to be sleeping under a tree when Mulayam8217;s policemen caught Ram Bhakts. I could not come in 1992 because I did not get leave from my job. I8217;ll swear on Ram to make the temple.8217;8217;

MEENA GUPTA: Age: 37; Education: Matric; Residence: Lucknow. The housewife is leading the Durga Vahini batch to Ayodhya this time.

ARCHANA TRIVEDI: Age: 17; Education: Studying in BA; Residence: Rajkot. A Durga Vahini member, she visited Rae Bareilly after Godhra and Ayodhya when there was a training session. She says, 8216;8216;I have skipped my exams8230; This is more important.8217;8217;

ADITYA RATHI: Age: 60; Education: Graduate; Residence: Malad, Mumbai. 8216;8216;Will the Vatican police react if you put up the Pope8217;s poster there?8217;8217; asks the retired engineer, who came to Ayodhya in 1990 and sent his son in 1992. 8216;8216;Our police is repressive towards Hindus. 8220;

Story continues below this ad

NATTU BHAI: Age: 49; Education: Class IX; Residence: Malad, Mumbai. The jeweller is visiting Ayodhya for the first time.

MEENA B. DAVE: Age: 35; Education: Matric; Residence: Jamnagar, Gujarat. She has entrusted her 12-year-old boy to her mother to join the crusade. 8216;8216;I want to dedicate my life for the construction of the temple,8217;8217; she says.

SIDHRAJ JADEJA: Age: 32; Education: Matric; Residence: Kutch, Gujarat. A farmer owning a small piece of land, he is in Ayodhya for the first time.

RAMESH CHAUHAN: Age: 24; Education: Class VIII; Residence: Kutch, Gujarat. The ironsmith has taken a vow to construct the temple.

Story continues below this ad

R.P. GOSWAL: Age: 60; Education: Intermediate; Residence: Sahar, Mumbai. 8216;8216;I have vowed for the construction of the Ram temple,8217;8217; says the decorator.

PRABHAKAR BHUMKAR: Age: 62; Education: Matric; Residence: Dadar. The cycleshop owner was jailed in 1990 when he came to Ayodhya. Undeterred, he returned in December 1992. 8216;8216;I began as a Shiv Sainik, but now I8217;m interested only in the temple movement,8217;8217; he says.

PRASHANTU DEBNATH: Age: 45; Education: Matric; Residence: Nagaon, Assam. 8216;8216;In 1992, I fell ill so had to go back. I have come to fulfill my desire,8217;8217; he says.

DIPALI MEDHI 038; MANJU BHARALI: Age: 22, 25; Education: Matric, Class IX; Residence: Burbhanda, Assam. This is the sisters8217; first trip to north India, but on agenda is only Ayodhya. Manju joined the Durga Vahini recently.

Story continues below this ad

RAJENDARAN K.V.: Age: 38; Education: Graduate; Residence: Thiruvananthapuram. State tourism department employee and VHP district secretary is here with Sanal Kumar, also from the Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram.

NIRMESH MISHRA: Age: 32; Education: Class XII; Residence: Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. The tea wholesale shop owner is associated with the Bajrang Dal and is determined to have a darshan of Ram lalla before he returns.