The consecration ceremony ('Pran Pratishtha') of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's temple will take place this afternoon in a grand ceremony with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals, marking an end to a deeply polarising dispute that has dominated Independent India's politics for over half a century.
Representatives from major spiritual and religious sects, along with prominent personalities from diverse backgrounds, will attend the ceremony. Elaborate seating arrangements have also been made for 8,500 guests—which includes 4,000 saints and 3,000 distinguished attendees—in front of the main temple. Actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, and sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar are among the prominent people invited to the event.
The ceremony will begin at 12.20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm, following which PM Modi will address the gathering. The shrine will be opened to the public a day later.
The sacred site for Lord Ram now stands on grounds where the Babri Masjid stood for centuries before it was torn down by Hindu extremists who were incited by right-wing outfits including the BJP and VHP, among others.
The demolition in 1992 triggered some of India's worst sectarian violence post-independence, killing around 2,000 people, most of them Muslims. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute has since gone on to become a litmus test for India's ostensibly secular political framework and multi-culturalism amid the deeply polarising rise of right-wing nationalism.
On November 8, 2019, India's top court ruled that the entire 2.77 acres of disputed land in Ayodhya be handed over to a trust to be constituted for the construction of the Ram temple at the site, and also directed the government to give the Sunni Waqf Board five acres of land in another location to build a mosque. Subsequently, on August 5, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officiated the laying of the foundation stone for the Ram Temple construction.
Timeline: 1949-2024
Jan 15, 1885: First court case. Nirmohi Akhara mahant Raghubar Das moves to a local court seeking permission to construct a 'mandap' atop the platform in front of the mosque allegedly built at the place of birth of Lord Ram in Ramkot by Mughal emperor Babur in 1528
Feb 24, 1885: Das's plea is junked. The court of sub-judge Harikishan says though the platform is in possession of Das, it is very close to the mosque and allowing a temple-like structure would lead to conflict
Mar 17, 1886: Raghubar Das challenges the decision in district court. District judge Colonel FEA Chamier accepts that the mosque has been built atop a place worshipped by Hindus, but it's now too late to amend a 'mistake committed over 350 years ago'. Orders status quo
Nov 1, 1886: After Raghubar Das appeals to the top court of the province, W Young, the officiating judicial commissioner of Avadh, dismisses his plea
1936: Commissioner of waqfs sets up an inquiry under UP Muslim Waqfs Act to find out the ownership of the mosque. Inquiry declares that Babri Masjid was built in 1528 by Babur, a Sunni Muslim
Feb 20, 1944: Report published in the official gazette
March 30, 1946: A revenue court declares Babri Mosque to be a Sunni property after Shia Waqf Board stakes claim and moves court
Dec 22-23, 1949: Idol of Ram Lalla 'appears' inside the mosque after a week-long Ramayan 'paath' organised by Goraksha Peeth chief Mahant Digvijay Nath. Muslim side claims that the idol was kept by Hindu leaders, including Baba Abhiram Das of Hanumangarhi and Mahant Ramchandra Paramhans
-When PM Jawaharlal Nehru calls up UP CM GB Pant asking him to get the idol removed. When asked, Faizabad DM KK Nayyar replies that 'he would rather prefer to be removed'
-Hashim Ansari files plea from the Muslim side
Dec 29, 1949: Faizabad municipal board chairman Priya Dutt Ram is appointed receiver of the disputed campus. Magistrate M Singh orders that puja can be offered to the idol with 3 priests
Jan 6, 1950: Gopal Singh Visharad of Hindu Mahasabha and Mahant Paramhans Ramchandradas of Digambar Akhara file plea in Faizabad court seeking right to worship at the site where the idol had been kept
Jan 19, 1950: Civil judge Bir Singh restrains Muslim side through temporary injunction from removing the idol
March 3, 1951: The court passes interim order allowing puja after closing the inner side of the structure. It also asked the Muslim parties not to interfere in the puja
Apr 26, 1955: Allahabad high court endorses the civil judge's order of March 3, 1951
Dec 17, 1959: Nirmohi Akhara files the third suit in the matter claiming to the custodian of Ram Janmasthan
Dec 18, 1961: A fourth suit is filed in the case by Sunni Central Waqf Board, staking claim to not only the masjid property but also the adjacent land, claiming it to be a graveyard. Six Muslim plaintiffs, including Ansari, are party to the plea
Aug 29, 1964: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is formed on Janmashtami in the presence of RSS chief Golwalkar and Akali Dal chief Master Tara Singh
Apr 7-8, 1984: Dharm Sansad in Delhi raises the issue of Ram Janmabhoomi 'liberation'
June 18, 1984: Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Samiti is formed with Mahant Avaidyanath as chairman and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das as vice-chairman
Oct 7, 1984: Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Samiti takes out a grand dharm yatra from the Saryu bank which culminates into a grand rally in Lucknow on Oct 14
Sept 18, 1985: 'Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas' formed under Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Shiv Ramacharya. Ashok Singhal, then VHP gen secy appointed convener and Vishnu Hari Dalmiya treasurer
Feb 1, 1986: On a plea filed by Faizabad lawyer Umesh Chandra Pandey, dist judge KM Pandey orders opening of disputed site's locks, in place since 1949, for Hindu worshippers. Allows puja inside. City magistrate opens to lock 40 minutes after the court order
Feb 3, 1986: Hashim Ansari moves Lucknow bench of high court against the dist judge order. Pleads that the order was passed without hearing the Muslim side
Feb 6, 1986: Babri Masjid Action Committee is formed with Maulana Muzaffar Hussain Kichhcuchhvi as president, and Azam Khan and Zafaryab Jilani as conveners
May 22, 1988: BMAC announces Ayodhya march to perform namaz at the disputed site
Feb 1, 1989: At Prayagraj Dharm Sansad, VHP fixes Nov 10 as the date for temple foundation. A model of the proposed temple was released
June 8-9, 1989: At its Palampur (HP) convention, BJP for the first time announces to join Ram Temple movement. The resolution says that it was matter of faith and courts can't decide it
July 1, 1989: VHP's former vice-president Justice Devki Nandan Agarwal, and the next friend of Ram Lalla Virajman (deity) files a plea in the high court seeking the restoration of the disputed land and removal of the mosque. HC merges the four other cases pending in the Faizabad court and starts hearing
Aug 19, 1989: Shakaracharya Shantanand starts Ramshila puja at Badrinath temple
Oct-Nov 1989: Over 3 lakh Ramshilas reach Ayodhya from across India for Nov 10 shilanyas programme
Nov 9, 1989: PM Rajiv Gandhi, CM ND Tiwari and RJB Nyas on the same page for foundation. VHP functionary Kameshwar Chaupal lays the first brick in the foundation near the 'singh dwar' of the proposed temple
June 1990: VHP fixes Oct 30 as the date to start the construction of the temple
July-Oct 1990: The VP Singh govt starts efforts for negotiations on the issue
Sept 25, 1990: BJP chief LK Advani starts rath yatra from Somnath. It was to reach Ayodhya by Oct 30
Oct 19, 1990: Centre passes an ordinance to acquire the disputed land and hand it over to the RJB Nyas, but takes it back within three days
Oct 23, 1990: Bihar CM Lalu Prasad stops Advani's rath and arrests him in Samastipur.
Oct 30-Nov 2, 1990: Lakhs of kar sevaks reach Ayodhya to start temple construction work. They partially damage mosque. CM Mulayam Singh Yadav orders police firing to control mob. Seventeen kar sevaks killed, as per official record, though VHP claimed the number was much higher
Nov 7, 1990: VP Singh govt falls after BJP withdraws support; Chandrashekhar becomes the new PM with Cong support
Dec 1990: Chandrashekhar govt facilitates negotiation meetings between VHP and BMAC
Dec 23, 1990: Experts from both VHP and BMAC hand over documents justifying their claims to the govt. Muslim side doesn't attend this meeting after five rounds and the effort fizzles out
May 1991: Rajiv Gandhi assassinated in middle of general elections. Cong wins the poll, Narsimha Rao becomes the PM. In UP, BJP comes to power, Kalyan Singh appointed the CM
Sept 18, 1991: Rao govt passes Places of Worship Act which says that a mosque, temple, church or any place of public worship in existence on August 15 1947, will retain the same religious character that it had on that day – irrespective of its history – and cannot be changed by the courts or the government
Oct 1991: Kalyan govt in acquires 2.77 acre land around the disputed site
Oct 25, 1991: HC allows UP govt to take control of the acquired land but stops it from raising any structure on it
Nov 2, 1991: Kalyan Singh gives assurance at the National Integration Council that the 'structure' would be protected
Nov 15, 1991: SC asks UP govt to strictly implement the Oct 25, 1991 HC order
Feb 1992: UP govt starts construction of boundary wall around the disputed site
March 1992: 42.09 acre land acquired near the dispute site in 1988-89 was handed over to the RJB Nyas for Ram Katha Park. The land was levelled over the next three months after razing the existing structures
May 1992: Muslim side moves HC seeking to stall the levelling work on 42.09 acre land. The HC refuses to stay levelling work
July 9, 1992: VHP resumes kar seva, construction of a concrete platform near shilanyas site begins
July 15, 1992: HC stays kar seva and construction work
July 1992: Contempt plea filed in SC against CM Kalyan Singh
July 18, 1992: National Integration Council asks UP govt to abide by HC order
July 23, 1992: SC stops construction work. PM Rao appeals to saints and seers to break the deadlock
July 26, 1992: On seers' advice, VHP stops kar seva for 3 months
Aug 1992: After PM Rao's assurance in Parliament that he is talking to both sides, an Ayodhya Cell is formed in the PMO. Ex-cabinet secy Naresh Chandra appointed chairman
Oct 1992: On PM's initiative, two round of talks take place between BMAC and VHP
Oct 30, 1992: Dharm Sansad announces resumption of kar seva on Dec 6
Nov 27, 1992: UP govt files an affidavit in SC that no permanent construction will take place at the disputed site. SC appoints it observer for Ayodhya to there is construction on Dec 6
Dec 3, 1992: Over 25,000 paramilitary forces jawans are stationed in Ayodhya
Dec 6, 1992: Lakhs of people arrive in Ayodhya for kar seva. The disputed structure is razed leading to nationwide communal riots, leaving over 2,000 dead
Kalyan resigns before Centre sacks his govt and imposes Prez rule
Idols placed in the makeshift temple made of tent by evening
Two FIRs are lodges at Ram Janmabhoomi thana -- No 197 against thousands of unnamed kar sevaks for razing the structure; No 198 against 49 prominent saffron leaders like Advani, Joshi, Uma Bharti, Ashok Singhal.
Dec 7-8, 1992: Central forces take control of the disputed site
Dec 10, 1992: Centre bans RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal and Jamaat-e-Islami
Dec 13, 1992: FIR no 197 in Demolition case handed over to CBI. FIR No 198 to CB-CID of state police
Dec 15, 1992: Centre sacks BJP govts in Rajasthan, MP and HP, accusing them of having ties with banned organisations
Dec 16, 1992: Advani and seven other accused sent to Lalitpur jail. Trial in FIR No 198 starts in Lalitpur court
Dec 16, 1992: Retired chief justice of AP high court, MS Liberhan, was appointed as a one-man commission to probe the demolition. It was to submit its report in three months but was given 48 extensions. It finally submitted its report on June 30, 2009
Jan 7, 1993: Centre acquires total 67.7 acre land around the site through Acquisition of certain area of Ayodhya Act 1993
President SD Sharma sends Presidential Reference to the SC to find out whether any temple existed beneath the disputed site? Or, whether the mosque was built after razing the temple. After deliberating on the reference the SC returns it saying that it can't give its opinion
Feb 27, 1993: CB-CID files its chargesheet at the Lalitpur court against saffron leaders
Mar 11, 1993: Mumbai blasts 'in retaliation' to Babdri demolition
Apr 3, 1993: Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya is challenged by Ismail Faruqui in the Supreme Court
Oct 24, 1994: While dismissing Faruqui's plea, the SC said that 'Mosque is not an integral part of worship in Islam'. It also allowed the Centre to include the 2.77 acre land of the dispute site in the acquired 67.7 acre, making it a chunk of approx 70 acre
May 1996: BJP becomes single largest party in Lok Sabha elections, Atal Bihari Vajpayee becomes PM for 13 days
Mar 1998: BJP returns to power with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as PM for the second time. The government lasts 13 months
Oct, 1999: BJP again comes to power at the Centre with a coalition of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and completes full term
Feb 2002: VHP fixes March 15 as the date for resuming temple construction. Kar sevaks started reaching Ayodhya from all over the country. The SP government in UP allows a symbolic shila pujan. Coach No S-6 of Sabarmati Express carrying them to Gujarat burnt near Godhra station. 58 of them were burnt alive, leading to Gujarat riots which claimed more than 1,000 lives
April 2002: A three-judge bench of Allahabad high court resumes hearing in Ayodhya title suit
March 5, 2002: HC asks ASI to probe whether any temple existed beneath the mosque? ASI conducts excavation and finds remains of an 11th century temple
July 5, 2005: Security forces gun down 5 JeM terrorists while trying to enter the disputed site
Sept 30, 2010: HC delivers its verdict on 4 petitions filed in the title suit. Orders to divide the dispute land into 3 parts -- one part each to Ram Lalla Virajman, represented by Hindu Mahasabha, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Central Waqf Board
Dec 2010: Both Hindu Mahasabha and Sunni board challenge the verdict in SC
May 2011: SC stays HC order and orders status quo
May 2014: The Narendra Modi government comes to power with absolute majority
June 2015: VHP starts drive to collect shilas in Rajasthan. Two truckloads of engraved stones reach Ayodhya after over a decade. SP govt in UP says entry of shilas won't be permitted in Ayodhya
March 21, 2017: SC says Ayodhya issue is highly sensitive, should be resolved out of court. Asks all parties to look for amicable settlement
Feb 8, 2018: SC asks parties to get their papers ready, says no new party would be allowed to join the litigation. Clarifies that it would take up the matter as a land dispute
Mar 14, 2018: SC nixes 32 intervention petitions, leaving only those parties who were part of the litigation at high court. Again offers opportunity for negotiation
Sept 27, 2018: SC turns down Muslim side plea to send Ismail Farouqui case of 1994 to a bigger bench. Muslim side's plea was that HC 2010 judgment was influenced by 1994 SC observation that a mosque is not an integral part of Islam for offering namaz. The SC bench headed by CJI Deepak Mishra delivers 2-1 verdict. Justice Mishra and Justice Ashok Bhushan were of the opinion that the Ayodhya issue had nothing to do with the Farouqui case. The third member, Justice S Abul Nazeer, said that the issue should be decided on the basis of faith and needs elaborate discussion
Oct 29, 2018: After the retirement of Justice Mishra, a bench comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice KM Joseph starts hearing the case. It adjourns the hearing till January 2019
Jan 9, 2019: A five-judge bench was set up under CJI Gogoi. Other members were Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramanna, Justice UU Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud
Jan 10, 2019: Justice Lalit recuses as he had represented Kalyan Singh, one of the accused in Babri demolition, as a lawyer
Jan 25, 2019: The bench is reconstituted, now including Justice Bobde, Justice Chandrachud, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer
Feb 26, 2019: SC asks all parties to explore possibilities of amicable solution through mediation
Mar 8, 2019: SC sets up a mediation panel which had former apex court judge FMI Khalifullah, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar, and senior lawyer Sriram Panchu. The panel starts meeting both the parties.
May 10, 2019: SC sets Aug 15 deadline for it to submit its report
July 11, 2019: SC says that if mediation is not possible, it will start hearing
August 1, 2019: Mediation panel submits its report to the apex court
August 2, 2019: The SC says the mediation panel fails to find a solution. Fixes Aug 6 for start of day-to-day hearing
August 6, 2019: The top court begins day-to-day hearing of the case
October 16, 2019: After the marathon 40-day daily hearing, the SC reserves its order
Nov 9, 2019: In historic unanimous judgment, SC identifies the disputed site as the birthplace of Ram and hand over 2.77 acre land to Ram Lalla Virajman
Asks Centre to form a trust within three months for the construction of the temple
Asks UP govt to give 5 acre land to Sunni board in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque. Rejects the claim of Nirmohi Akhara, which was seeking control of the entire disputed land, saying they are the custodian of the land
August 5, 2020: Bhoomi Pujan for Ram temple performed by PM Narendra Modi on 2.77 acre land, the piece of land where Lord Ram is believed to have taken birth on the 70 acre Ram Janmabhoomi premises
January 22, 2024: Ram Lalla as five-year-old boy consecrated in garbh-griha (sanctum sanctorum) of new upcoming temple in presence of PM Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and 7000 distinguished invitees from across the globe
