The consecration of Ram temple is going to happen with great pomp in Ayodhya on 22 January.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the temple. At the same time, Congress is aggressive about this program and big leaders of the party have also rejected the invitation to the function.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi alleged that the Congress party had always been against Hindu beliefs and even Pandit Nehru had not attended the inauguration of the Somnath temple.
Somnath temple is counted among the 12 Jyotirlingas and it has been a victim of attacks by invaders many times.
But when it was inaugurated after its revival in 1951, why did Pandit Nehru not attend the programme? Let us know.
The temple is very ancient
Somnath temple is very ancient and historical. It is mentioned in many mythological texts. It is said that it is known about it since 649 BC.
This temple used to be so prosperous that it fell under the evil eye of the invaders. It is said that before the attack of the robber Mahmood Ghaznavi, there was immense wealth here.
There used to be hundreds of dancers and musicians in this temple. Mahmud Ghaznavi attacked the temple in 1024 AD. Thousands of people were killed and the temple was destroyed and the treasury was looted.
The temple was destroyed and rebuilt again and again. It was last demolished by Aurangzeb in 1706 and after that it could not be rebuilt for almost two hundred and fifty years.
The existing temple was rebuilt in 1951. However, it took 44 years to complete. KM Munsh wrote in his book ‘Somnath the Shrine Eternal’ that the government was unable to protect the ancient temples.
In 1947, the then Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had announced the reconstruction of Somnath Temple.
Mahatma Gandhi also agreed with this but he said that its expense should not be borne by the government but by the public. After this a trust was formed. Munshi was its president.
What did Pandit Nehru write in the letter
Sardar Patel died in 1950. After this, when the time came for the inauguration of the temple, the then Prime Minister Pandit Nehru said that this is not a government program and the Government of India has nothing to do with it. Historian Romila Thapar wrote in her book ‘Somnath the Many Voices of History’ that Pandit Nehru had said that the government is not getting the temple rebuilt.
He does not want to give it a government color. On May 2, Pandit Nehru wrote a letter to the Chief Ministers and said, this is not government work.
We should not do anything that comes in the way of the country becoming secular. This is the basis of our Constitution, therefore governments should avoid associating with things that affect the secular character of our country.
What was the President’s stand
The then President Rajendra Prasad had attended the inauguration of the Jyotirlinga temple. Although Pandit Nehru did not support this.
He had also written a letter to the President and said, I do not like the idea of associating myself with the grand inauguration of the temple. Participating in such an important event has many meanings. In such a situation, presiding over this program is against the basic tenets of the Constitution.
Despite Pandit Nehru’s letter, the President attended the programme. He said that the temple is a symbol of complete freedom of all castes and communities.
After this, it took 44 years to complete the reconstruction of the temple. In 1995, the then President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma reached Somnath and dedicated it. Let us tell you that at present the Chairman of Somnath Trust is PM Modi.