The Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir: A Symbol of Civilizational Healing

Some moments are not just historic, they are healing.

January 22, 2024. The Prana Pratishthapana of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya.

It wasn’t just a temple.
It was a release. A collective sigh after centuries of civilizational suffocation.

I’m not an overtly religious or ritualistic person. But I’ve always known—Hinduism is more than a religion. It is a sophisticated, layered, and timeless philosophy, unlike anything else in the world.

But this wasn’t how I saw things as a teenager.

Back then, even while watching a cricket match between India and Pakistan, we were subtly conditioned to believe Pakistan was the stronger team. The winning ratios did support that belief—but there was something deeper at play.

I still remember the 1992 World Cup. Pakistan won, and shockingly, many people in Bangalore celebrated. Indian flags were burnt in some areas. And none of us dared to question why.

Why?

Because we were afraid.

As Hindus, we had been made to believe we were harmless, fragmented, and incapable of defending ourselves if ever targeted. And sadly, we carried that belief with us.

Even when India defeated Pakistan, there were incidents of people burning our flags in anger. And still, there was no political will, no law and order, and no collective strength to speak up.

We didn’t even feel entitled to the feeling of strength.

We were taught that Hindus had always been weak and divided. That invaders came and took over, and the British came to "civilize" us.

Even when I was in the USA, many Americans casually mentioned how white people “civilized” us—completely unaware of the depth of our own heritage. And the tragedy was that we couldn’t even feel humiliated. Because humiliation requires realization. And we hadn’t even reached there yet.

But then came the Hindu revival.

Writers and thinkers started breaking the silence.

We began to hear about rulers and heroes who had been deliberately sidelined: Shivaji, Lachit Borphukan, Lalitaditya Muktapida, Ahilyabai Holkar, and Kittur Rani Chennamma and countless more.

Ahilyabai Holkar—what a woman. Why weren’t we ever told her story? Had we heard it in school, we might have grown up more courageous.

Instead, our textbooks gave chapters to Aurangzeb and half a page to Shivaji. Can you believe that? Half a page. What a shame.

That’s when voices like J. Sai Deepak, Vikram Sampath, Vamsee Juluri, Rajiv Malhotra, and many others began shaping a new narrative. They gave us what we had lacked for generations: Literature, awareness, and most importantly—self-esteem.

Until then, many politicians openly mocked Hinduism.

I once watched a recording of a politician boasting that he destroyed temples dedicated to Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati—and nothing happened to him. I saw an acclaimed author proudly say he urinated on an idol—and nothing happened to him. Another politician apologized publicly for being born Hindu.

We, the 80s kids, saw all of this. We were taught to stay silent. That silence was peace. That tolerance meant tolerating everything—even humiliation.

But now… something is changing.

Our eyes are opening. And for many of us, the Rama temple was the turning point.

It wasn’t just a temple that was built—it was a burden that was lifted.

We could finally exhale. We could let go of centuries of inherited shame and pain. That’s what made that day so special. That’s what made it sacred.

Seeing the Maryada Purushottama finally return to glory—after everything—felt like witnessing the impossible.

And now, the desire is alive: to see Dwaraka, Mathura, Kashi, and countless other temples return to their rightful glory.

What a time to be Hindu.

This is not a call for hate. That was never our way.
Nor is it the impotent pacifism some falsely preach in the name of peace.

This is a call to rise.
To reclaim our dignity.
To know who we are.

We will usher in a new era—where no child ever feels ashamed of being Hindu.

This is our time.
Let’s not stay quiet anymore.

Jai Shri Ram.

Dhananjay Ramakrishnappa

dhanajay.rr@gmail.com