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Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra
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The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (SRJBTK) is a trust set up for the construction and management of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya by the Government of India in February 2020.[4] The trust is composed of 15 trustees.[5][6]
Key Information
This trust organized Prana Pratishtha on 22 January 2024.[7]
History
[edit]It was created as per the verdict of the Supreme Court on the M Siddiq(D) Thr Lrs v/s Mahant Suresh Das & Ors case. The court directed the central government to set up a trust to oversee and manage the construction of the temple within three months of the judgement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of the trust in the Lok Sabha on 5 February 2020.[8]
The trust was awarded the disputed 2.77-acre land as well as the 67.703-acre land acquired under the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993 following the Supreme Court verdict in this regard.[9]
The central government nominated the 12 of 15 members of the trust. Kesava Parasaran, the former Attorney General who represented Shri Ram Lalla Virajmaan in the Ayodhya case, was made the acting chairman.[10] On 19 February 2020, the trust nominated the rest of its members and elected Mahant Nrityagopal Das as the chairman.[11]
The senior trustees had signed an agreement with C.B. Sompura in 1992 for architecture design services which was revalidated with additional provisions. In November 2020, the trust appointed Larsen & Toubro as the design & build contractor and Tata Consulting Engineers as the project manager consultant for the construction of the temple. In February 2020, further contracts were signed with Tata Consulting Engineers and Design Associates Inc. for the development of the 67-acre temple complex.[12]
Composition of Trustees
[edit]The trust will have 15 members, of which 9 are permanent and 6 are nominated members with each member must be a practicing Hindu.[13]
Permanent members:
- K. Parasaran: represented Shri Ram Lalla Virajmaan
- Four religious leaders from various temples across India
- A representative from the Nirmohi Akhara
- Two prominent civilians from Ayodhya district
- A Dalit representative
Nominated members:
- Two prominent persons to be elected by the trust through majority resolution to be part of the trust
- One representative to be nominated by the central government, who will be an IAS officer, at least of joint secretary level
- One representative to be nominated by the state government and would be an IAS officer under the state government
- The District Magistrate of Ayodhya will be the ex-officio trustee (If the serving DM is not a Hindu then the additional magistrate will sit on the board)
- The chairman of the construction committee of the Ram Mandir complex will also be selected by the trust board and will be an ex-officio trustee
The temple trust set up by the government was initially headed by Parasaran was tasked to nominate the remaining three members. On 19 February 2020, the first meeting of trust held at the residence of Parasaran, elected Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas' chief, Mahant Nrityagopal Das Ji Maharaj as the Chairman and VHP vice-president, Champat Rai as the General Secretary.[14][15] Both of them were elected unanimously to the trust. Former IAS officer and Principal Secretary, Nripendra Mishra was nominated as the Chairman of the construction committee.[16] Currently, Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj is the Treasurer and K. Parasaran is the Senior Spokesperson of the trust.[17]
Of 15, only 11 trustees have voting rights. The two officers appointed by the state and central government, district collector of Ayodhya and the representative of Nirmohi Akhara will not have any voting rights in the proceedings of the trust.[18]
List of chairpersons
[edit]| S. No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term | Background |
| Acting | K. Parasaran | 5 February 2020 | 19 February 2020 | 14 days | Former Attorney General of India | |
| 1 | Nritya Gopal Das | 20 February 2020 | Incumbent | 5 years, 270 days | Chief of Shri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan
Chief of Mani Ram Das ki Chavani |
Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, passed away. He was 85 years old.[19]
The last rites were performed on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya on the Thursday after his death.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Members – Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra". Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "Ram Mandir construction likely to begin soon; list of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust members". Times Now News. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Official website of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust starts operating". news.abplive.com. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "Explained: What is the Trust set up to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya?". The Indian Express. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "Notification. Ministry of Home Affairs" (PDF). egazette.nic.in. The Gazette of India. 5 February 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ Saha, Poulomi (5 February 2020). "Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra: PM Modi announces formation of Ayodhya temple trust". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
- ^ Livemint (20 January 2024). "Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Uddhav Thackeray receives invitation for ceremony". mint. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Varma,Anuja, Gyan (5 February 2020). "Modi announces 15-member trust for temple in Ayodhya". Livemint. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- ^ Chishti, Seema (7 February 2020). "Explained: Story of 67 acres in Ayodhya adjoining Babri site, now with Ram temple trust". The Indian Express.
- ^ Gupta, Moushumi Das (5 February 2020). "Lawyer K Parasaran, 92, who represented Hindus in SC, to head Ram temple trust". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ Uprety, Ajay (6 November 2019). "Who is Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas". The Week. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Official Web Site". Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ^ Singh, Jitendra Bahadur; Sharma, Sanjay (5 February 2020). "Ram Temple Trust: God's advocate, Nirmohi Akhara, Dalit get seat on board, check full list - India News". India Today. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ Hebbar, Nistula (19 February 2020). "Ram temple trust elects Nritya Gopal Das as president". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Ayodhya saints at loggerheads with Champat Rai for comment on Shiv Sena chief". Hindustan Times. 15 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ www.ETGovernment.com. "Former IAS Nripendra Misra to head committee for Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya - ET Government". ETGovernment.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Members". Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra. Archived from the original on 19 June 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Ram temple in Ayodhya: Parasaran first trustee, 15-member Trust office has his home address". The Indian Express. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Video: Ram Mandir head priest, who died at 85, given 'jal samadhi' in Saryu river". India Today. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
External links
[edit]Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra
View on GrokipediaHistorical and Religious Significance
The Site as Ram Janmabhoomi
Ayodhya is identified in the Valmiki Ramayana as the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, situated on the banks of the Sarayu River, where Lord Rama, the protagonist and seventh avatar of Vishnu, was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya.[8] The Bala Kanda (Book 1) of the epic, composed between 750 and 500 BCE, describes Ayodhya's fortified palaces and prosperous layout, explicitly marking it as Rama's birthplace, with verses detailing the divine circumstances of his incarnation to uphold dharma. The Skanda Purana, one of the eighteen major Puranas dating to around the 7th-10th centuries CE, further affirms Ayodhya's sanctity in its Ayodhya Mahatmya section, portraying the city as the abode of Vishnu's Sudarshana Chakra and delineating specific tirthas (sacred sites), including the precise location of Rama's janmabhoomi near the palace of Kaushalya, accessible via paths from the Sarayu River.[9] This text emphasizes bathing and worship at these spots for spiritual purification, establishing Ayodhya as a primordial pilgrimage center independent of later historical overlays.[10] Muslim chroniclers from the Mughal era documented the enduring Hindu devotion to the site. Abu'l-Fazl, in the Akbarnama (completed 1590s CE), records that Hindus flocked to Ayodhya for Rama worship, recognizing it as his birthplace and a focal point of pilgrimage, with practices persisting despite imperial rule.[11] Similarly, regional accounts from 17th-18th century Awadh historians, drawing on earlier records, note the site's religious prominence for Hindus, including rituals honoring Rama's lineage.[12] Hindu traditions maintained empirical continuity through institutional custodianship by akharas, monastic orders of sadhus. The Nirmohi Akhara, a Vaishnava sect affiliated with the Ramanandi order, asserted management over the janmabhoomi as mahants (head priests) conducted worship, particularly on the outer platform (chabutra) for Ram Lalla idols.[13] Annual festivals like Ram Navami involved processions and bhajans (devotional songs) at the site, with records of such observances predating 1949, underscoring unbroken veneration rooted in scriptural mandates rather than interruption.[14] These practices, evidenced in akhara ledgers and pilgrim accounts, reflect a causal persistence of faith tied to the site's identification as Rama's origin point.[15]Archaeological and Historical Evidence
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted court-ordered excavations at the Ram Janmabhoomi site from March 10 to August 7, 2003, digging 90 trenches across the disputed area beneath the Babri Masjid structure.[16] The ASI report, submitted in August 2003, identified remains of a "massive structure" immediately below the mosque's central dome, characterized by architectural elements consistent with a 12th-century North Indian Hindu temple, including 50 pillar bases, moulded bricks, and a circular shrine with terracotta figurines depicting deities and animals typical of Hindu iconography.[17] [18] Stratigraphic analysis revealed 12 structural phases from the 13th century BCE to the 16th century CE, with the pre-mosque layer showing superposition of temple remnants—such as carved stone blocks, water chutes for ritual bathing, and sculptures of Vishnu and other Hindu figures—directly under the mosque's flooring and walls, indicating reuse of temple materials in its construction around 1528 CE.[19] These findings, corroborated by on-site videography and independent observation, contradict claims of an original mosque foundation without prior Hindu architecture, as the empirical layering demonstrates causal continuity from temple to mosque rather than independent Islamic origins.[17] Historical records align with this evidence: Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Baqi constructed the Babri Masjid in 1528 after razing existing structures at the site, as noted in Persian inscriptions on reused temple pillars and corroborated by 18th-century traveler Joseph Tieffenthaler's accounts of a demolished Ram temple replaced by the mosque using its debris.[20] English traveler William Finch's 1608 journal described the location as a Hindu worship site with ruins of "pretty large" buildings, predating formalized mosque use.[21] While some academic critiques, often from institutions with documented ideological biases favoring secular-minority narratives, dismiss these linkages as inconclusive without direct demolition proof, the ASI's layered artifacts and material reuse provide verifiable empirical support for a pre-existing Hindu temple, independent of interpretive disputes.[22]Legal Proceedings and Trust Establishment
Timeline of the Ayodhya Dispute
The Ayodhya dispute traces its origins to the site believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, where worship occurred at a temple structure prior to the 16th century. In 1528, during the reign of Mughal emperor Babur, general Mir Baqi constructed the Babri Masjid on the premises, incorporating elements suggestive of prior Hindu religious architecture, as recorded in contemporary accounts and later evidentiary findings.[23][24] Throughout the 19th century under British rule, Hindus persistently claimed and worshipped at outer portions of the site, including the Ram Chabutra platform, despite recurrent communal clashes with Muslims seeking exclusive control of the inner mosque area. British administrative records from the 1850s document violent disputes in 1853, 1855, and 1856–1857, culminating in a 1858 settlement by the Faizabad magistrate granting Muslims possession of the inner courtyard while affirming Hindu rights to adjacent outer areas.[23][25] On the night of December 22–23, 1949, idols representing Ram Lalla were placed inside the Babri Masjid structure by Hindu devotees, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to declare the premises disputed and lock the inner gates, restricting Muslim access while allowing Hindu worship outside.[23] In 1986, the Faizabad district court ordered the locks opened, reinstating Hindu puja rights inside after a prolonged closure, amid growing mobilization by Hindu organizations like the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).[23] The dispute intensified in the late 1980s with VHP-led campaigns for temple reconstruction, including a 1989 foundation stone laying adjacent to the mosque despite ongoing litigation. On December 6, 1992, during a VHP-BJP organized rally attended by over 150,000 kar sevaks (volunteers), the Babri Masjid was demolished by the crowd after security forces failed to contain the mobilization, which followed unsuccessful negotiations for negotiated possession.[23] This act triggered nationwide riots but marked a decisive Hindu assertion over the site after centuries of contested occupation.[26] Post-demolition, the central government acquired the 67-acre area via ordinance in 1993 (later enacted as law), while criminal proceedings ensued against leaders and unidentified kar sevaks; title suits consolidated in the Allahabad High Court. On September 30, 2010, a three-judge bench divided the 2.77-acre disputed inner land into three equal parts: one-third each to the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara, and Ram Lalla Virajman, rejecting exclusive claims but acknowledging joint possession elements.[27] Appeals led to a Supreme Court stay on the division and transfer of the suits.[23] On November 9, 2019, a five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously awarded title of the disputed 2.77 acres to Ram Lalla Virajman as a juristic entity, citing continuous Hindu possession and belief since at least 1858, insufficient Muslim evidence of exclusive title, and the site's religious significance outweighing strict property law in the balance of convenience; an alternative 5-acre plot was mandated for Sunni Waqf mosque reconstruction.[23] The government subsequently notified the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust on February 5, 2020, to manage the site and oversee temple construction, fulfilling the verdict's directive for Hindu development while ending state-held possession.[23]Supreme Court Verdict and Trust Formation
On 9 November 2019, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India delivered a unanimous verdict in the M. Siddiq v. Mahant Suresh Das case, awarding title over the 2.77-acre disputed site in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties, represented by Ram Lalla Virajman, for the construction of a Ram temple.[28][29] The court found that the Hindu plaintiffs had established possession of the inner courtyard since at least 1857, with continuous worship practices, and that their claim was not barred by limitation under the Limitation Act, 1963, effectively recognizing long-term adverse possession against prior Muslim claims.[29][28] The judgment relied on Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavations, which evidenced a large pre-16th-century structure beneath the Babri Masjid with features consistent with a Hindu temple, including pillars and motifs, predating the mosque's construction.[30][28] The court characterized the disputed land as having the essential attributes of Ram Janmabhoomi, a site of undisputed Hindu worship and faith for centuries, despite acknowledging the 1949 idol placement as an initial trespass and the 1992 demolition as illegal.[28][31] It rejected the Sunni Waqf Board's title claim, noting discontinuous and non-exclusive Muslim possession post-1857, and invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to direct the allocation of five acres of alternative land to Muslims for a mosque at a prominent location in Ayodhya, without endorsing their possessory rights over the original site.[29][28] This outcome prioritized evidentiary findings on title and historical possession over strict liability for historical desecration, which the court deemed inconclusive for property adjudication.[31][28] Pursuant to the verdict, the Union government promulgated a scheme on 5 February 2020, notifying the formation of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to oversee temple construction and management.[32][33] The trust, comprising 15 members including Hindu religious leaders and a Dalit representative, received the disputed land via gazette notification and an initial government grant, enabling it to acquire the site title from the Uttar Pradesh government and proceed with development as a restoration aligned with the court's validation of Hindu jurisprudential claims.[33][32] This statutory body operates under public trust principles, facilitating the empirical rectification of possession-based title disputes through state-backed endowment.[32]Organizational Structure
Composition of Trustees
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust consists of 15 trustees, as established by a Government of India gazette notification on February 5, 2020, following the Supreme Court's directive in the Ayodhya judgment.[33] This fixed composition includes 12 members nominated by the central government and 3 selected by the trustees in their initial meeting, emphasizing a blend of religious, legal, and administrative expertise to oversee temple construction and related activities.[34] Prominent among the trustees are religious leaders from diverse Hindu traditions, such as Jagatguru Shankaracharya Jyotishpeethadhishwar Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati of Prayagraj, representing Advaita Vedanta; Jagatguru Madhwacharya Swami Vishwa Prasannatiirth of Udupi, from the Dvaita sampradaya; and Ramanandi mahants like Nritya Gopal Das of Ayodhya and Dinendra Das of Nirmohi Akhara, ensuring sectarian representation rooted in longstanding temple custodianship.[35] Other sadhus include Yugpurush Parmanand Giri of Haridwar and Swami Govinddev Giri of Vrindavan, providing spiritual oversight aligned with Vaishnava and ascetic lineages.[36] Legal and organizational roles feature K. Parasaran, the senior advocate who represented Ram Lalla Virajman in Supreme Court proceedings, alongside Vishva Hindu Parishad secretary Champat Rai, reflecting the dispute's historical advocacy networks.[35] Administrative members such as Dr. Anil Kumar Mishra and Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra contribute expertise in local governance and infrastructure. A permanent trustee position is reserved for a Dalit community representative, filled by Mahant Prem Das of Sitamarhi, Bihar, to incorporate broader Hindu societal strata and affirm the trust's non-exclusionary framework.[37][38] This assembly prioritizes capability in dharmic preservation and execution over political affiliations, with trustees drawn from akharas, mathas, and movements central to the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign, fostering consensus on temple sanctity and operations.[3]Leadership and Chairpersons
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, peethadheeshwar of Moti Ram Das Maharaj and a veteran of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, was elected chairman of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on February 19, 2020, during its inaugural meeting in New Delhi.[39] His leadership has provided spiritual and organizational continuity, drawing on decades of advocacy for the site's reclamation and temple reconstruction. Under his stewardship, the trust navigated post-verdict implementation, including land acquisition and initial construction mobilization.[40] Champat Rai, vice president of Vishva Hindu Parishad and general secretary of the trust since its formation, has played a pivotal role in resource mobilization and administrative oversight. He spearheaded a nationwide fundraising campaign that amassed over ₹3,500 crore in donations by March 2025, primarily between 2020 and 2021, with contributions from more than 10 crore donors ensuring broad-based support.[41] [42] Rai's efforts emphasized transparency, with the trust remitting approximately ₹396 crore in taxes over five years, including ₹272 crore in GST, demonstrating fiscal accountability amid legal and public scrutiny.[41] His prior involvement in the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas facilitated seamless transition from agitation to institutional management.[43] Nripendra Misra, former principal secretary to the Prime Minister and chairman of the trust's temple construction committee since 2020, has directed engineering and execution phases with expertise from his IAS career.[44] Misra coordinated architectural adherence to Nagara style, site preparation, and phased building, achieving key milestones like the pran pratishtha on January 22, 2024, and projecting full completion by mid-2025.[45] His oversight integrated archaeological findings with modern engineering, resolving logistical challenges to advance the temple's realization without delays attributable to mismanagement.[46]| Position | Name | Tenure Start | Key Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Mahant Nritya Gopal Das | February 19, 2020 – present | Spiritual leadership; movement continuity[39] |
| General Secretary | Champat Rai | February 19, 2020 – present | Fundraising (₹3,500+ crore); transparency[41] |
| Construction Committee Chairman | Nripendra Misra | 2020 – present | Project execution; timeline adherence[44] |
