Rath Yatra Ram Rath Yatra

1 rath yatra

1.1 etymology , philosophy
1.2 announcement , route
1.3 initial stages
1.4 advani s arrest
1.5 communal riots

rath yatra

l. k. advani, then-president of bharatiya janata party, led ram rath yatra.


etymology , philosophy

the ultimate aim of yatra support agitation of vishwa hindu parishad , sangh parivar affiliates erect temple hindu deity rama on site of babri masjid. yatra sanskrit word may translated journey, procession, or pilgrimage. idea of pilgrimage significant 1 in hindu traditions. in recent decades, term has been used describe displays of strength hindu nationalist groups, , idea of pilgrimage has been harnessed hindu nationalists mobilize support. city of ayodhya, in particular, place of pilgrimage in hindu tradition, because seen site devotee may obtain eternal salvation, belief used inspire support ram rath yatra. hindu pilgrimages have traditionally been spaces caste , gender barriers have been broken limited extent, making them useful bjp, sought unite electorate, divided caste-based discrimination. furthermore, pilgrimages or processions involve assertion of dominance on physical space, relevant ayodhya dispute. rath yatra refers procession involving rath, or chariot, frequent occurrence @ religious sites.

announcement , route

advani, president of bjp, announced yatra on 12 september 1990. rath yatra began on 25 september 1990, seeking capitalize on massive protests across north india against reservation bill. yatra supposed 10,000 kilometres long, , planned intention of converging on ayodhya , forcing government hand on site hindutva forces construction of temple. yatra began @ hindu holy city of somnath, , planned go through states of gujarat, maharashtra, andhra pradesh, madhya pradesh, , bihar, before reaching city of ayodhya in uttar pradesh. both somnath , ayodhya had political significance hindu nationalist movement, because of association legacy of muslim invaders , rulers. ayodhya, in particular, seen symbol of hindu humiliation @ hands of muslim rulers. additionally, bjp wished draw parallel between effort build temple in ayodhya, , reconstruction of somnath temple, undertaken inc led government of india in 1950s.

the imagery of procession designed represent religious themes. chariot escorted activists dressed mythological deities, , people marching chariot sang songs , raised slogans had religious themes. few people marched rath entire way, larger number attended rallies @ each stop. rath air-conditioned converted toyota redesigned chariot. historian ramachandra guha stated imagery of yatra religious, allusive, militant, masculine, , anti-muslim.

the yatra preceded intense propaganda campaign carried out volunteers of bajrang dal , vhp. along entire route of yatra distributed pamphlets , posters describing proposed temple, , vilifying muslims. vhp leaders made speeches in stated hindus of past years had shown impotence in allowing holy sites taken on muslims, , asked them more aggressive @ present opportunity.

initial stages

the yatra flagged off in somnath scenes of frenzied religious sentiments , militant national fervour. supporters presented advani several gifts, including saffrom flags, sword, , bow-and-arrow. supporters chanted religious hymns battle-cries.

the yatra began 1 of significant mass movements in indian history. advani covered average of 300 kilometers day, , advani typically addressed 6 rallies in day. rath passed through 600 villages in gujarat, , 50 rallies held. in village of jetpur, hindu nationalist activists donated jar full of own blood advani symbol of faith. after gujarat caravan went maharashtra, activist fervor stronger because of support of shiv sena, radical hindu nationalist party. yatra passed through telangana, in attempt mobilize supporters in area bjp had little electoral strength, followed madhya pradesh , rajasthan. level of popular mobilization in each state higher press had expected, , yatra began receive more national news coverage. slogans coined followers included garv se kaho, ham hindu hein! ( pride hindus! ) editorial in national newspaper stated:

at every village along route . . . crowds ranging hundreds thousands turned out see him. in towns clambered on roofs catch glimpse of bespectacled man on ‘rath’.

advani s speeches during yatra addressed hindu nationalist themes. portrayed ayodhya dispute fight between rama , mughal emperor babur, , stated no hindu live in peace until temple had been built on site of babri masjid. militant sentiments visible throughout rally, advani presented bows , arrows, tridents, maces, daggers, , swords. bjp leader pramod mahajan stated if use weapons presented us, can liberate ramjanmabhumi in day, while shiv sena leader bal thackeray threatened wipe out unholy green (the color associated islam), if temple construction obstructed .

advani s arrest

the yatra caused growing unrest in wake, resulting in government being forced take action against it. throughout yatra, organizers chose multiple times defy administrative measures minimize impact of yatra. sumanta banerjee stated people arrested along course of rath yatra had committed violating law. advani paused yatra in delhi several days, daring central government arrest him, did not. however, on 23 october indian prime minister v. p. singh authorized lalu prasad yadav, chief minister of bihar, arrest advani procession crossed border state of uttar pradesh. advani placed in preventive custody. following imprisonment, advani held in masanjore guest house, luxury government accommodation. after release, stated through success of rally, power of people had defeated power of state. vishwa hindu parishad leader ashok singhal arrested, managed escape police custody within day. other activists arrested improperly detained, or allowed escape.

despite advani s arrest, kar sevaks or activists accompanying yatra continued on towards ayodhya. mulayam singh yadav, chief minister of uttar pradesh, ordered arrest of activists bound ayodhya, , 150,000 individuals jailed. however, large number of activists succeeded in reaching ayodhya. guha estimates number @ 75,000, while christophe jaffrelot states 40,000. town held 20,000 security personnel, brought there state government. on 30 october large number of activists pushed past cordon of security officers, , moved towards babri masjid. although intercepted more security forces, succeeded in avoiding these, , reached mosque. there, 1 volunteer placed saffron flag on top of mosque, while other activists attempted tear building down using tools axes , hammers. security personnel responded using tear gas expel kar sevaks, , later using actual ammunition. kar sevaks pushed away mosque, pitched battle security followed, lasted 3 days, , led death of 20 vhp volunteers.

communal riots

through course of yatra, participants aided governments of states passed through. procession given police escort, , uttar pradesh police force members thought have helped activists gain access mosque, police supposed protecting.

the yatra brought out militant sentiments in cadre of bjp, vhp, , bajrang dal, , there several violent clashes along route. these clashes intensified many-fold after advani s arrest on 23 october. riots targeting muslims occurred in jaipur, jodhpur, ahmedabad, baroda, hyderabad, , few other places. several hundred people died in these riots, including 130 people in jaipur between 23 october , 31 october. k. m. panikkar estimates 166 communal riots occurred in total between 1 september , 20 november, in 564 people killed. many of these riots occurred in areas not on route of yatra, religious hatred had nonetheless been triggered yatra.

the bodies of kar sevaks killed in fight security forces on 30 october cremated, , ashes carried around country vhp. hindus on asked avenge deaths of activists, described martyrs. religious riots followed across country, particularly in state of uttar pradesh, mobs of hindus attacked neighborhoods dominated muslisms, individuals visibly identifiable muslim.