Who is this Shri Ram ?

DHEERAJ KUMAR

( Writer is IIMC alumnus and presently working in CNBC - AWAAZ)
Some days ago, I watched a package by NDTV's Kamaal Khan on Lord Shri Ram, wherein he described very beatuifully how the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) changed the image of Sri Ram in our minds. Kamaal Khan argued that the image of Ram was of a kind hearted and magnanimous but VHP changed it into an aggressive Ram. And, I was thinking that how true Kamaal had said and most of the Hindus in the country imbibed what VHP gave without thinking over it. Also, how cleverly these right wing hardliners brain washed the public mind about the importance of Ram temple in Ayodhya. The impact was so hard that it turned into a frenziness for making the temple and to the extent that people didn't hesitate to demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodha.

Anyway, I don't want to go into the details of this black event which changed the equilibrium of the society at large. Here, I would raise some questions which were in my mind after going through the judgements by the Honorable High Court of Lucknow. The first question is about the change of status of Ram in our psyche. If you go through the judgement it says that Ram Lala was born at the place where the then Babri Masjid was. If I buy this argument, then Bhagwan Ram should be a historical figure like Akbar, Shivaji or Ashoka. But all of these great persons born on Indian land, it has archaelogical and historical proofs, but that proof is not available for Ram. So how can court decide that Ram was born at that very place?

Friends, remember that so far no one has proved the very existence of a person like Ram. As all of us know Ram is a mythological figure and myths can't be strong evidences in a court of law. There is no answer to the questions like when did the Ram born, what was the period when he ruled the land and so on? It is a well known fact that Ramayan and Mahabharat are the epics written during Vedic period and in due course of time, it took the shape of a religious scripture and Ram and Krishna became our deities. But whether these great persons walked on earth or not, no body can tell us for sure.

And, the second question which I would like to debate on whether the faith of the majority rule over the law of the land? If yes, this is the wrong precedence and against the democratic and secular principles. If not, then how can a judge decide on the basis of faith rather than empirical evidences and tangible proofs? If faith is to be believed then Sati should be promoted and widow remarriage should be banned. What else to say friends? Think about it and revert back to me with your arguments.