On January 22nd, a new Ram Temple will be consecrated in Ayodhya, India. This momentous occasion brings joy to many, but also raises a difficult question: can this temple, built on the very spot where the Babri Mosque once stood, truly align with the values of faith and justice?
The Supreme Court, while allowing the temple’s construction, condemned the mosque’s demolition as a serious violation of law. This creates a painful contradiction. Can a grand temple, rising from the ashes of injustice, ever be a source of true spiritual peace?
Great Indian figures like Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, and especially Mahatma Gandhi, championed harmony and respect for all religions. Gandhi, in particular, spoke about temples as places of unity and inclusivity, not division. He envisioned them as symbols of respect for religious diversity and spaces that fight against communal hatred.
Gandhi’s vision for temples shines brightly in his address at the inauguration of the Birla Mandir in 1939. He prayed for the growth of every religion and hoped that temples would promote respect and harmony, leaving communal strife behind.
But can the Ram Temple, born from the destruction of another faith’s sacred space, truly embody Gandhi’s vision? This question continues to haunt many, a complex knot of justice, faith, and historical scars.
Vivekananda’s satisfaction in the fact that Hindus constructed shrines for persons of different faiths
Way back in 1897, after a famous trip to America, Swami Vivekananda gave a powerful speech in Madras, India. He spoke with pride about how Hindus had built and were still building churches and mosques for other faiths. This, he said, showed India’s true spirit of openness and acceptance towards different religions.
Vivekananda believed that the world desperately needed this message of universal tolerance. He said, “No civilization can grow unless we look charitably and kindly upon one another’s beliefs.” He even encouraged actively helping people of other faiths, no matter how different their beliefs might be.
These are powerful words that still resonate today, especially with the upcoming temple consecration. We should remember Vivekananda’s message of tolerance and respect for all religions, especially during times when these values might feel threatened.
Tagore’s poetry about a temple
Imagine Rabindranath Tagore, the poet who loved all faiths, witnessing the new Ram Temple rising in India. Would he celebrate, or sing a different song? Perhaps he would recite his poem “Deeno Daan,” a powerful reminder that true worship lies not in golden shrines, but in compassion.
In “Deeno Daan,” a wise saint confronts a proud king who boasts of his grand temple, built at great cost while his people starve. The saint sees no God in this monument, only cruelty disguised as piety. This angers the king, but the saint’s words ring true: the temple built on suffering cannot please the divine.
Tagore’s message is simple: faith without kindness is hollow. A temple’s true beauty lies not in its grandeur, but in its ability to uplift the suffering and unite all, as Vivekananda and Gandhi preached.
Can our leaders today learn from these wise voices? Can they see beyond the grandeur of the temple and remember the cries of the hungry? Can they build a nation where all faiths find refuge, not just in stone, but in the hearts of men?