How Somnath was a natural starting point for Yatra for Ayodhya Temple, writes L K Advani

“When in the mid-1980s, the Ayodhya issue rose to the centre stage of national politics, I was reminded of the time political stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad and K M Munshi had, against all odds, effectively steered the reconstruction of another landmark temple in independent India — the Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan on the coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat,” Advani writes.

“Somnath was both a witness to, and a target of, multiple foreign invasions during the medieval period. And reconstructing the Somnath temple was a proud testimony of India’s determination to erase the history of bigoted alien attacks and regain its lost cultural treasure,” he adds.

Going on to talk about the Ram Temple, Advani says that in 1528, Babar, who founded the Mughal empire, had ordered his commander Mir Baqi to erect a mosque at Ayodhya to make the spot a “place for descent of angels’ — hence the name Babri Masjid”.

“It is widely believed, and later even confirmed by compelling archeological evidence, that there was a pre-existing temple at Ayodhya, which was demolished for establishing the mosque. So in many ways, the Ayodhya movement was the continuation of the spirit of Somnath,” Advani says. “When the BJP decided in 1990 that I, as its president, should lead the Shri Ram Rath Yatra to mobilise people’s support for the Ayodhya movement, it took no time for me to choose Somnath as the starting venue.”

Reminiscing about the day the Yatra started, Advani writes in the article, “On the morning of 25th September 1990, I offered prayers at the jyotirlingam in Somnath temple. I was accompanied by the present Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi (who was then a promising leader of the BJP), Shri Pramod Mahajan, (who was the general secretary of the party), other senior functionaries of the party in Gujarat, and members of my family. Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and Shri Sikander Bakht, both party vice-presidents then, had come to flag off the Rath. Before the Rath was flagged off, we all paid floral tribute to the imposing statue of Sardar Patel just outside the temple. In my mind, I thanked and drew inspiration from all the great men who had toiled for the reconstruction of the temple.”

Advani has been invited for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

The Indian Express reported Saturday that in the article, Advani wrote how he was only the sarathi (charioteer) of the rath, and that destiny had decided that the temple would become a reality one day.

The piece – Shri Ram Mandir: Divya Swapn Ki Poorti (Shri Ram temple: Fulfilment Of A Divine Dream) – that Advani has penned will be published on January 16 in the 76-year-old magazine.

The special issue of Rashtradharma will be given to participants at the consecration ceremony of the idol in Ayodhya on January 22.