An Exceptional Experience of the Karseva in 1992

After the partial success of Karseva 1990 when many Karsevaks were murdered on the orders of the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, it was decided to have Karseva again. After the Deepavali of 1992, Sri Ram Paduka Pujan was celebrated throughout the country. It was decided to hold Karseva on 6^th December 1992.

Teams were formed in Howrah again. Different teams would leave on different dates but every team had to reach Ayodhya before 6^th December 1992. I was requested to lead a team and if I am not mistaken our team left for Ayodhya on 30^th November 1992.

We didn’t have proper reservations but still somehow managed to get a seat in the unreserved coach. The first incident worth mentioning happened when the train stopped at the first station. The name of the station was Srirampur if I am not mistaken. Five or six Karsevaks were sitting together. Suddenly, a group of hawkers rushed towards us.

They were abusing and tried to break open the door. When they failed to open the door, they started waving pointed iron rods through the windows. We stayed away from the reach of the rods. They were all members of some Communist Party. Those 7 or 8 minutes were like 7 or 8 hours for us. Then, the train started moving and we breathed a sigh of relief.

Hindu brothers and sisters would be waiting with lunch and dinner at different stations. There were no more incidents worth mentioning before we reached Ayodhya. Though we experienced trouble at the physical level, but at the mental level it was sheer Bliss. Like Paratpar Guruji (Sachchidananda Parabrahman [Dr] Athavale) says ‘Anand ke liye Sadhana’ for us it was ‘Anand ke liye Karseva’.

Living in tents in Ayodhya

From the Ayodhya station, we were taken to tents put up near the disputed structure. It was a tent city with thousands of tents. A group of 10 people were expected to stay in one tent. The only thing we found in the tent was hay to be spread on the ground. Every Karsevak carried bedding which they spread on the floor. Different areas were ear-marked for eating, washing, etc.

Daily routine before the day of reckoning

There were different blocks for different States and even in the blocks there were sub-blocks for different Districts. Volunteers looked after food, lodging, water supply, bathroom, etc. Till the 5th of December the daily routine was – brushing, eating breakfast, bathing, followed by lunch. We would also mingle with Karsevaks coming from other Districts and States. It was a mini India.

Sometimes, meetings would be held to chalk out things. The best part of those days would be from lunch to dinner. A stage had been erected near the disputed site. After lunch, bhajans, kirtans, pravachans and kavi sammelan would start. Among the speakers were Swami Ram Chandra Das, Swami Nritya Gopal Das, Acharya Dharmendra Ji Maharaj, Sri Ashok Singhal from the VHP, Sudarshan Ji and Seshadri Ji from the RSS, Sadhvi Uma Bharati, Sadhvi Ritambhara and many others. This was pure Bliss.

Looking back after so many years I realize that the days of the Karseva were amongst the best days of my life. We thought we were doing our duty towards Bhagawan Sri Ram, and in return, He gave us unadulterated joy. God never lets us return empty-handed !

Date of reckoning : A brief narration

Then came the date of our reckoning – 6^th December 1992. We had been told that it would be a symbolic Karseva. We had also been told that we would have sand in hand and would have to pour the sand in a pit that had been dug. Not that most of us liked this ‘Gandhian Karseva’, but then we were dedicated soldiers. We were standing in lines after bathing and having had our lunch. We had been told that Karseva would start any time after 9.30 a.m., hence, we were in line by 9 a.m. There were multiple lines and all were more than a kilometre long. The scene was as if lakhs of devotees of Sri Ram were waiting for their turn to offer puja with flowers, fruits and sweets in hand.

The first big incident happened before 11.30 a.m. One young person came running back from the side of the disputed side carrying a brick in his hand. After some minutes came another person again carrying a brick. Then came a third person running in a similar fashion. We were awe-struck not knowing what to do. When we asked them why they were running in this fashion, they replied that the disputed structure was being broken down and they would carry those bricks as a memento back to their home. We were confused but decided to wait. Before long we moved forward till we reached the disputed structure.

Ultimately, I came to a spot from where the structure could be seen. Karsevaks had climbed to the top of the structure and were using every tool available to bring it down. Even after trying for long, those at the top saw little success. Then, I remember a Sadhvi with a hand held microphone shouted that the Karsevaks should come down and give a try from the bottom. Those Karsevaks came down, and using the same tools tried from the bottom again to no avail. Next, a petrol bomb was burst which made a small hole in the wall. The methodology that would bring success came later.

The disputed structure was barricaded using thick pipes which were more than 20 feet long. The Karsevaks decided to remove a few pipes. Then 20 or more Karsevaks would hold a pipe on their shoulder, walk back some 10 steps then run forward and bang the pipe into the wall of the structure. This method ultimately brought success. It is worth mentioning here that Ramlalla had been taken to a safe place before the Karseva started. Karsevaks greeted each other by cheering, dancing, sloganeering and embracing.

Participation of Sikhs from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi

One particular incident needs mention here. Many Sikhs were among us who had joined us from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. One Sardar ji had one eye bandaged but was shouting and singing with joy. Taking a closer look I found that his bandage was red with blood. He had probably hurt himself trying to bring down the structure. This did not stop him from celebrating. This was the real spirit of a Sardar ji ! One must have a lot of love for Sri Ram to be able to do what he was doing.

The hand of Sri Ram was always visible for those who could see it. Each dome came down vertically instead of falling on its side. In the process of breaking down, the domes got tilted, yet how they came down vertically was surprising. Had the domes collapsed in any other manner there would have been many casualties. If this is not a miracle, then what is ?

Bringing Prabhu Sri Ram into the structure

We left the place and went back to our camp after it started to get dark. We had dinner and soon got information that a temporary home for Prabhu Sri Ram had to be erected. Again, Karsevaks formed lines and in a relay system, bricks and other things needed for construction passed to the disputed site. In a few hours, a temporary structure for Prabhu Sri Ram had been constructed and He was brought into the structure. Around that time we came to know that the incident had gone international and BBC was showing direct telecast with the help of satellite images. We went to sleep late at night on that day.

We woke up on 7th December, brushed our teeth, had breakfast and then walked to the place where Sri Ramlalla had been installed the earlier day. Soon orders came that we had to vacate the city.

Special trains were being arranged. Our team boarded a train going to Howrah in the evening. It was a very emotional moment. There was a feeling of joy having accomplished a task, there was a feeling of sorrow because we had to leave Ayodhya and there was a feeling of apprehension about what was waiting for us back home.

From time to time, stones were pelted at the train we were in. The train was stopped in Dhanbad (in Jharkhand today) for a few hours, but different Hindu groups arranged for food and water. The train reached Howrah early in the morning the next day.

There was a curfew-like situation in Bengal. The Communists were getting Karsevaks arrested. I was again told to leave home to avoid arrest. I left home and went to stay in a relative’s home. I joined school from that relative’s home. I could come back home after things became normal after a few weeks.

– Mr Anirban Neogy (Founder President, Bharatiya Sadhak Samaj, Howrah, Bengal)

How India survived can be understood by looking at the Shriram Temple in Ayodhya : Swami Vivekanand

The secret of India’s survival despite centuries of brutal and violent invasions can be understood by looking at the Shriram Temple in Ayodhya.

Religious sites such as Ayodhya are the lifeblood of national consciousness that our forefathers have preserved with unwavering dedication. They sacrificed everything for it. That is why we have been able to bear the atrocities inflicted over centuries. Our ancestors bore immense suffering; at times, they even embraced death while upholding the Chaitanya (Divine consciousness) of our Dharma. The understanding of the history of the Hindu society which cannot be gained by reading a number of books, will be gained only by looking at the Shriram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.