For Hindus, Ayodhya is a Question of Faith
By Mr. Prabhat Kumar

An often buzz word is "Tolerance". Have we thought about tolerance to what or whom? We have learned to live with our neighbors or we learned to tolerate them? They may have whiter or darker skin, they may be Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, or of other faiths. Their eyes may be small or their nose may be big, they may be tall or short. This list of differences can go on forever, I think you get my point. Other than an occasional solicitor trying to peddle his or her religion, we have pretty much learned not to question each other's faith or the size of his or her nose. Those days of spreading your faith by the power of the sword are gone. I would like to think that - we have matured and learned to respect out neighbor's believes.

In the aftermath of December 6, 1992, news reporters, concerned friends, and neighbors have asked many questions in an effort to understand (and relate to) the situation in India.

Hindus "believe" that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya, as referred in the Holy book Ramayan. The first Mogul emperor Babar built a mosque on the same site in the 1500s. (Just imagine if the structure in Mecca was erected after destroying a holy Christian site where Jesus was born, or the "Wailing" wall was erected at the site where Mohammed was born). In Varanasi, Aurangzeb, the last significant emperor in the same family chain converted half of the famous Vishwanath temple into a mosque. In Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna, similar conversion has taken place. There are hundreds of example of the "by the sword" conversion policy of Muslim invaders in India. European historians will support this argument by giving examples of Christian Churches that converted to mosques in Turkey and in other countries by Muslim invaders.

The question that we face today is that now 400 years later should we reopen these wounds. Can our actions today bring back the past or should I say even the score?

The first thought that comes to my mind is of the authencity of the Hindu claim. Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya on this site in our discussion. Just as Christians believe that Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and Mohammed was born in the holy city of Islam - Mecca. The significance of these birth places or of Jerusalem in the mind of Jews, Christians, and Muslims cannot be questioned nor proven absolutely by any scientific or logical evidence. Therefore, the first conclusion should be made that we must respect each other's belief.

There has not been a recorded Hindu uprising for Ram's birthplace during the Mogul dynasty 1526 to 1761 A.D. The first significant demand of this Hindu site, with arms, was in the late 1800s. After the independence a request was made to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to officially and legally turn over the birthplace to Hindus. Nehru threw this hot potato to the Indian Supreme court and erected a barbed wire around the structure - mosque - temple. Hindus continued to worship at the site. On the directions of the ruling governments, the courts unduly prolonged and did not take any action for the past 46 years. Several rounds of negotiations between the concerned parties (All India Babri Masjid Committee and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad) have taken place in the last several years without coming to any mutual understanding, and broken promises by two governments to take a decision led to the emotional removal of the structure called Babri Masjid from the Lord Ram's birthplace.

In respect to each other's faith, a conclusion should be made that if Hindus have believed for centuries and continue to believe that if this site in Ayodhya was Lord Ram's birthplace then every individual should respect this belief and relinquish all controls to the location. A mature and peaceful conclusion to this situation based on mutual respect could have been achieved. As Czechs and Slovaks separated peacefully or the government of Canada made a settlement with the American Indians after nearly 200 years. A respectful transition of the location could have prevented the carnage that followed for several days. Thousands of lives were lost, millions of shattered families will carry the scar forever.

Unfortunately we live in a world where mature decision making is at a premium. Millions of lives were lost in holy crusades over the land of Jerusalem and sadly millions will continue to lose their lives. Self interest overtakes rational thinking, whether this is in India or in former Yugoslavia, or in South Africa, or in Ireland, or in the Middle East. When the Russian "evil" empire and the Communist wall fell a few years ago, most of us thought that the world had rid itself of all the trouble makers and their financiers. Well? It did not happen.

Those days of spreading your faith by the power of sword are gone or are they? I would like to think that - we have matured and learned to respect our neighbor's believes.