Shadow Warrior: Fwd: Webinar on Ayodhya: An Inflexion Point for Civilizational Revival

Saturday, August 01, 2020

Fwd: Webinar on Ayodhya: An Inflexion Point for Civilizational Revival

meenakshi jain's books are a MUST READ on how to present history.

it's unsettling to hear about the bigotry and chaos-seeding by communist 'historians' who basically INVENTED the narrative that RoL had a right to ayodhya in its entirety.

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From: INDICA

As the Ram Mandir at the Janmasthan was being demolished in 1528 by an army led by Babur, the Vijayanagar empire which brought about a great Hindu revival in the South was peaking under the rule of the great Srikrishnadevaraya. Hundreds of new temples all across the South were either constructed, repaired or enhanced by the Rayas. Even though the Maratha Holkars (specifically Ahilyabai Holkar) continued such temple building all across India, it was only in 1750s, more than 200 years after the demolition at the janmasthan, that the Marathas leading the Hindu revival could even contemplate taking back Ayodhya. The situation was not conducive then. The British takeover of the Indian subcontinent was complete by 1820s. Probably for the first time in its history, the whole Indian subcontinent was subjugated to this extent by a foreign power. Hindus made fresh attempts to take over the site in 1850s which were unsuccessful, as was the Grand Rebellion of the 1857.

Almost 100 years after the last display of Kshatra in the 1857 revolt, when the British ceded control to Indians in 1947, there was hope of a national temple reconstruction. President of India even proclaimed at the vigraha pratistha ceremony of the freshly reconstructed Somnath temple in 1951 – "The Somnath temple signifies that the power of reconstruction is always greater than the power of destruction." Yet, it took 70 more years for Hindus to get to bhoomi puja at Ayodhya.

Is the bhoomi puja a consecration for a great revival? Great destruction is always followed by a great blossoming. Is the bhoomi puja an auspicious beginning for the greatest blossoming that our civilization is yet to see in its history spanning thousands of years, after the greatest destruction we have seen of every aspect of our civilization in the last 200 years?

Is the arrival of Ram Lalla at the Janmasthan the rebirth of Bhagavan Ram amongst us? Will Ram Lalla Virajman become the anchor around which the civilization will rebuild itself? Will the mandir be a beacon guiding thousands of Hindus working towards rebuilding of our ancient civilization?

As we ponder over the meaning of all this, take this opportunity to listen to the story about how all this became possible. Listen to individuals and representatives of organizations which were directly involved in making this happen.

Indic Academy's next instalment of Webinar in the Retrospective Prospective series.

An Inflexion Point for Civilizational Revival

Reminiscing academic, legal and activist interventions for the Ayodhya verdict

SPEAKERS

Meenakshi Jain, Professor of History, Gargi College, Delhi University
PS Narasimha, Former Additional Solicitor General and Senior Counsel at Supreme Court of India
Ashok Chowgule, Working President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad

MODERATED BY

Srinivas Udumudi, Convenor of Retrospective-Prospective Series, Indic Academy
Vikas Saraswat, Convener of Indic Academy Agra Chapter

SESSION PLAN

09:30 – Start of event with a shloka and a kirtana (10 mins)
09:40 – Introduction to the speakers and Indic Academy (10 mins)
09:50 – Lecture by Prof. Meenakshi Jain on historical aspects of the arguments and verdict (40 mins)
10:30 – Lecture by Sri PS Narasimha on legal aspects of the verdict (40 mins)
11:10 – Lecture by Sri Ashok Chowgule on history of Ramajanmabhumi movement (40 mins)
11:50 – Panel discussion with all speakers moderated by Sri Vikas Saraswat (40 mins)

BIODATA OF SPEAKERS

Prof. Meenakshi Jain teaches history at Gargi College, Delhi University. She is member of Indian Council of Historical Research since 2014 and was conferred the Padma Shri award by the government of India for her exemplary contributions in the field of literature and education. Prof. Jain is author of 10 important books of which the books "Rama and Ayodhya (Aryan Books International, 2013)" and "The Battle for Rama: Case of the Temple at Ayodhya (Aryan Books International, 2017)" have made a major contribution to history of Rama worship in India, Ayodhya and Ramajanmabhumi. Her work on the Allahabad judgement document, and in countering the lies of Marxist historians is very well known

Her book "Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples: Episodes from Indian History" (Aryan Books International, 2019)" contributed to understanding of relationship between Hindus and their Deities, and what they have undergone to protect them. Her other important books include "Sati: Evangelicals, Baptist Missionaries, and the Changing Colonial Discourse (Aryan Books International, 2016)", "The India They Saw (co-edited with Sandhya Jain, 4 Volumes, Prabhat Prakashan)", and "Parallel Pathways: Essays on Hindu-Muslim Relations, 1707-1857 (Konark Publishers, 2010)".

Sri Narasimha is a well-known senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India. He was a former Additional Solicitor General of India. Sri PS Narasimha is well known for his deep knowledge of Indian traditional intellectual traditions. Of the recent Ayodhya case at the Supreme Court, he represented Ram Lalla Virajman, appearing for Mahant Ramachandradas. He was one of the advocates representing the Hindu side who was felicitated by VHP and RSS at Ayodhya after the verdict. A member of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), a body that provides free legal services to the weaker sections by organising Lok Adalats, and was recently in the news for his involvement in bringing about major changes in functioning of BCCI as the Amicus Curiae appointed by Supreme Court of India. Sri PS Narasimha is the son of illustrious Justice Sri P Kodandaramayya who played a very important role in publication of major Sanskrit texts with commentaries in Telugu language through Arsha Vignana Trust and is himself an author on Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Sri Ashok Chowgule is an industrialist and a well acknowledged leader in shipbuilding industry of Goa. His group concerns include a vast range of business areas from mining to fisheries. He studied Econimics at Bristol UK and Business at Case Western Reserve University USA. He has taken deep interest in Hindutva since 1991 and is currently the Working President for Vishwa Hindu Parishad and works closely with the Sangh. He is passionate about the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which he sees as one that transcends the mere bricks and mortar angle. He is a regular contributor of articles on various political and cultural issues. He is author of the book "Christianity in India: The Hindutva Perspective" published by Hindu Vivek Kendra in 1999.