A year of Peak Hinduism: What changed after Ram Mandir?
It’s been a year since Ram Mandir inauguration in Ayodhya. Arguably this event can be termed as the peak moment of modern Hinduism — a culmination of decades of struggle, hope, and fervor. But why I called it a peak? And more importantly what has changed since then? Let us discuss and try to find out the answers.
The build up for the Ram Mandir
Ram Mandir was never just a temple, or we can say it was never about the temple it was about the winning something. Same for the Islamic party in the Ram Mandir case. It always been this way. When Babri Masjid was demolished. This dispute has become about the ego of the two parties, and they wanted to satisfy it at any cost. Because nobody gives prayers to Babri Masjid and not many efforts were given to make another mosque. It was just about winning.
For Hindus this was a uniting call. Many people, who were just Hindus till this time, has now became the saviors of the religion or Karyakarta. For them it was not just about the place, this was always showcased to them as generational injustice and they were often called to participate in the struggle. But what they have to do? No body told it. They have feeling of injustice but who was doing it? Muslims who live near me didn’t broke the temple and made mosque there. So, how could a Hindu like me can blame someone who has already died 500 years ago? This was not just in my heart but also in many Hindus.
The inauguration and the peak
After all these emotions going through the people for decades when finally, Ram temple was built and inaugurated, every Hindu was happy and celebrating it like a victory over “something”. They were feeling victory over “something” but this “something” is not clear. And the timing and the v precocity of inauguration was giving a sign of election stunt more than temple inauguration. So, people were celebrating it, but it was just to show that they are also happy and more than that to show that they are also Hindus.
For the people 22 Jan. 2024 was the monumental day. On that day everyone who was just Hindu till now is showing that how much Hindu he is and people were competing to showcase their Hinduism. The campaigns of the inauguration were illustrating it as the best day for Hindus, probably more than the birth of Shree Ram himself. It was a day where people were feeling that they wanted something so bad, and they finally get it. And this was the problem.
The post-peak resting phrase
It is human nature that when he gets something, that thing becomes normal for him, and he wants to get something new. Same with the Ram mandir. People were desperate for this, and when they get it they felt like they have achieved their goal and that was all. Now they did not knew what to do after temple is build. Moreover, because for decades people were imagining it as a battle, now they wanted to go for a rest after the battle. The aggressive energy that once fuelled the movement began to dissipate. When people achieve a long-pursued objective, there is often a psychological shift from action to rest — a sense of fulfilment that leads to complacency.
For an many Hindus, the next day after inauguration it was just another day. They have offices, jobs and works to do. Some were planning to visit Ram mandir and those who returned from doing it are now fully fulfilled their desire. They have feeling of achievement and from that day all other day were just another day. They now have more time to do other things which they were not doing till now because they were busy in fighting that battle.
So, the Ram mandir inauguration was the peak of the modern Hinduism because after that the over-enthusiasm and feeling to look more and more Hindu has faded away. This was a big moment but after all it was just a moment for many people.
