The Sarayu must have wept quite a lot. The river which bathed Rama’s childhood and watched the conflicts that the Maryada Purushottam suffered during his adult life went on to witness much more nasty conflicts a whole yug later. When India became independent more than half of the Muslims made arduous journeys across the new national border reducing their population in India to a meagre 10%. The first Prime Minister of secular India, a visionary who considered dams more sacred than gods, announced that “All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations.” Ayodhya was not much affected by the Partition. The Muslims there chose to stay back placing their trust in Nehru’s secularism. The Muslims had working relationships with the Hindus in Ayodhya. Muslim artisans made many of the idols that adorned Hindu temples. One temple there even had a Muslim manager. Then someone had a dream. The dream
Cerebrate and Celebrate