Edited by Deepali Verma
Members of the Suryavanshi Thakur community put on their turbans (padgdi) in anticipation of the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 18.
It is worth mentioning that the community had vowed to not wear a turban until there was a reconstruction of the majestic Ram Mandir at the site where a disputed structure was built by Mughal tyrant Babur.
The wait of close to 500 years came to an end for the Suryanshi Thakur community on January 18 when they finally donned their turbans at the Sarairasi village of Ayodhya.
Residing in nearly 115 villages located on both banks of the Saryu River in Ayodhya and the neighbouring Basti district, the Suryavanshi Thakurs identify themselves as the descendants of Lord Ram.
They find their belief rooted in the historical account that around 90,000 of their ancestors were engaged in a war against Mir Baqi, the commander of the first Mughal tyrant Babur who was responsible for the demolition of an ancient Ram temple and built a disputed structure atop it.
In conversation about the matter, a 63-year-old Suryanvanshi Thakur named Dayaram Singh said to The Print, “76 battles were fought to ensure the liberation of the Ram janmabhoomi from Babur’s era till British rule. Once our forefathers got to know about Mir Baqi having brought down the temple, they were incensed and decided to work towards liberating the Ram janmabhoomi. An army of 90,000 Suryavanshi Thakurs was gathered and they decided to wage a war against the Mughal army.”
He added, “on their march towards the Ram janmabhoomi, the warriors gathered at Surya Kund where they vowed that they would not wear a pagdi on their heads, neither wear a panahi [leather shoes] on their feet nor cover their heads with an umbrella till they have liberated the Lord Ram’s janmabhoomi”
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement of the 1990s witnessed the Suryavanshi Thakurs playing a crucial role in supporting the karsevaks (Lord Rama devotees) who came from different parts of the country. Additionally, they even provided food, shelter and assistance to these karsevaks and ensured the safe passage to the janmabhoomi site.
Shiv Singh, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and a resident of Sarairasi village, has made an appeal to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to invite at least one representative from the Suryavanshi Thakur community to Ram Mandir consecration ceremony.
