Communalism and Ram Katha in Historical Prospective

Dr. Anil Kumar Tyagi

On finding the writings of the budding historian, Dr. Anil Kumar Tyagi, equally forceful in the refutation of the claim of the fascist forces, the Institute of Objective invited him to their monthly sham-e-muzakarah programme held in its premises on the 8^th January 1994. Dr. Tyagi delivered a letter on ‘Ayodhya and Rama in Historical Perspective, which generated lively and fruitful discussion on the subject. In his lecture Dr. Tyagi threw light on the historicity of Ayodhya and identified Rama with it since the 5^th century A.D. It may be mentioned here in parenthesis that Ayodhya and Saketa were identified with Buddhism much before that period and Vasubandhu, one of the celebrated Buddhist philosophers took pride in identifying himself with the place in his Abhidharmakosa. It is surprising to note that no archaeological evidence related with Lord Rama could be unearthed which might throw any light on him prior to the 5^th century A.D. Does it mean that the emergence of Rama’s cult in popular form is post-Buddhistic? By so saying one does not mean that Rama was unknown before that period. But it appears that with the gradual decline of buddhism, efforts were made to install Rama’s cult at par with that of the Buddha and a device was found to fill in the vacuum created by the fast declining popularity of Buddha in order to capture the Buddha’s seat and convert the same into Rama’s place of birth and capital. Another interesting fact which Dr. Tyagi has brought to light is that most of the beliefs, legends, myths and traditions related to Ram and other principal characters of the Ramayana in relation with Ayodhya go back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries only. So much so that the earliest temples of Lord Rama at Ayodhya cannot be ascribed to a period prior to the above noted era. According to Dr. Tyagi Ayodhya, the city revered by Hindus as the birth place and capital of Lord Rama on whom the qualities of perfection were heaped and thus he was called Maryada Purushottama (the standard Man par excellence) has preserved the complex culture of Jains, Buddhists, Vaishnavas, Shaivas, Shaktas. Muslims, Sikhs and Ramaites (i.e. Rama-devotees) from time to time and therefore leaves no scope for any confrontation on the basis of religious beliefs and practices.In fact, Rama and Ramakatha is a cultural heritage of India Scholars like Romilla Thapar, Suriya Jayaswal, etc. have focussed their attention on this theme in their studies Dr. Anil Kumar Tyagi has recently contributed a paper entitled ‘Rama and Ramakatha: A Cultural Heritage of India’ and has made it clear that Rama and his story were universally patronised by the believers of almost all Indian religious orders like Buddhism, Jainism, Vaishnavism, Saivism, Sikhism etc. The adoption of the Ramayana and its publication in various languages of India like Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Tamil, Telagu, kannad, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi, Persian, Punjabi, etc. is an evidence to suggest that Rama’s story had wider appeal among people of different religious denominations in popularising the story of Rama. It would, therefore, be unfair on the part of any section of our people to claim exclusive right over the revered name of Rama and thereby to derive political advantage and mileage over their rivals in the Indian political arena.

Contents : Forward 1.Communalism in Historical Perspective in India 2.Notes and References 3.Ayidhya and Rama in Historical Perspective 4. Notes and References 5.Rama and Ramakatha :A cultural Heritage of India 6. Notes and References.

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