The BJP’s electoral setback in Ayodhya and UP, despite the grand Ram Temple inauguration, necessitates introspection on the foundations of cultural nationalism

Covenanting for deity, indifferent to the movement Sidharth Mishra In Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva is the symbol of faith, always speaks the truth, and is Trikaldarshi(knows the past, present and future). In Goswami Tulsidas’ Ramcharitramanas, there is a reference to Shiva telling his wife Sati, “Hohi Soi Jo Ram Rachi Rakha,” meaning what happens has been designed by Ram himself. Shiva explains to his wife that Ram is Param Brahma (ultimate creator), and writes the fate of a person based on his or her deeds. To the followers of Ram, this couplet forms the essence of Ram’s divinity and majesty. The starting lines of the couplet are followed by Tulsidas saying, “Ko Kari Tark Badhave Sakha” that is why disputes his decision with inane discussions and then completes the couplet saying “As Kahi Lage Japan Harinama; Gai Sati Jahan Prabhu Sukhdhama,” the essence of this being that in seeking refuge in Ram one attains solace as did Sati, Shiva’s wife.

Though Tulsidas demands faith in Ram nowhere he mentions that a human being’s own ‘karma’ (deeds) would not have a bearing on Ram’s ‘rachna’ (creation). To those for whom Ram is the symbol of the revival of cultural nationalism, it’s time to retrospect on their ‘karma’ which led to Ram’s ‘rachna’ of the setback that they received in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls. Defeat in Ayodhya is indeed the symbol of the setback, which is spread across Ram’s territory of Awadh and beyond it.Ramjanambhoomi movement played an important role in the revival and strengthening of the concept of cultural nationalism.

The consecration of the statue of Lord Ram at the much-awaited temple should have proved to be the culmination of people’s faith in Ram and its natural expression in the electoral gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It did not happen.Celebrated English poet TS Eliot writes in his epochal poem, Hollow Men, “This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but with a whimper.” Earlier in the same poem, Eliot writes, “Between the conception/ And the creation/Between the emotion/ And the response/Falls the Shadow.” The question is why the Ramjanambhoomi movement culminated electorally the way it did, not with a bang but with a whimper.

The inauguration of the Ram temple in January this year was the event of the century. The fluttering flags bearing Ram symbols across the states, and the cultural build-up through popular Bollywood renditions had even the sceptics once believed in the movement bearing the soul of our culture and nature. It was complete with immaculate camera coverage, with itinerary being unveiled with clockwise precision, weather at its shinning best in generally a gloomy climate and a massive build-up of expectation of dawning of Ram Rajya (the rule of Ram, the ideal form of governance).The event, however, surprisingly did not bring good electoral tidings for the BJP. The party strategists were left befuddled at the morally demoralising electoral setback.

For the pontiffs of cultural nationalism, the reason for ‘shadows between the conception and creation, between the emotion and the response’ will not be known until they decide to come out of the echo chamber of the ‘VIP route’ and have a ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla by joining the milieu of the masses. Rama Rajya has been defined as the ideal state of society as intended by Lord Ram, comprising perfect harmony, justice, dharma and prosperity, where people live in peace and happiness. Gandhi took the interpretation forward, saying that true Ram Rajya would be to ensure equal rights to both prince and pauper.

Ask the Ram Bhakts standing in the line of the paupers, for the darshan of Ram Lalla, if an ideal state had dawned. The management of the whole ‘darshan’ process at the Ramjanambhoomi temple today is a prototype of how it’s a case study of not being the Ram Rajya model. The uncarpeted red sandstone floor of the pathway from the temple entry to the sanctum sanctorum in the heat of the summer leaves the Bhakts with blisters, cursing the temple management for their scorn.

Providing carpets to cover the hot stone floor, functional air coolers on the pathway to beat the sultry weather or water coolers to quench the thirst from standing in a queue is something that should not be beyond the command of ‘caring’ temple management. But then that care is lacking.

The whole environment at the temple grapples with the attitude of Suraksha (security) rather than sewa (service). The teeming throng of untrained private security guards stands out as a sore thumb. The curt replies by these guards to the simple queries of the devout worshipper are all adding to the dwindling goodwill about the temple movement, though not for the temple deity.

Ram lives in all humans, as notable lyrist Sahir Ludhianvi penned (mere rom rom mein basne wale ram) for Bollywood super hit Neel Kamal.

This song over the years has become the anthem for all the Ram worshippers. If the attitude of disdain at the Ram temple is not replaced with that of service, Ram Bhakts would continue to vow for their deity albeit without much goodwill for those associated with the temple movement.

(Sidharth Mishra is the author and President of, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice; views expressed are personal)