Unsung Heroes of Sri Ram Janmabhumi Movement: KK Nayyar , an ICS officer from Kerala

KK Nayyar aka Kandangalathil Karunakaran Nayyar was born in on September 11, 1907, KK Nayyar began his life from Kuttanad, a small village in Alappuzha, Kerala. After completing his education in Kerala (Sanatana Dharma Vidyashala, Alleppey, Shri Mula Vilasam High School, Trivandrum, Science College, Trivandrum, Madras University,), he went to England for higher studies and won ICS at the age of 21. He joined Indian Civil Service in 1930 and served in various positions in Uttar Pradesh including Gonda (1946), Faizabad (1 June 1949 - 14 March 1950).





Kripal Singh, the then Superintendent of Police at Faizabad addressed a letter to K K Nayyar , the Deputy Commissioner dated 29 November 1949: "My dear Nayar, I visited the premises of Babri Mosque and the Janm Asthan in Ajodhya this evening. I noticed that several ‘Hawan Kunds’ have been constructed all around the mosque. Some of them have been built on old constructions already existing there”..............."I found bricks and lime also lying near the Janm Asthan. They have a proposal to construct a very big Havan Kund where Kirtan and Yagna on Puranmashi will be performed on a very large scale. Several thousand Hindus, Bairagis and Sadhus from outside will also participate. They also intend to continue the present Kirtan till Puranmashi. The plan appears to be to surround the mosque in such a way that entry for the Muslims will be very difficult and ultimately they might be forced to abandon the mosque. There is a strong rumour, that on puranmashi the Hindus will try to force entry into the mosque with the object of installing a deity".



 

On 16 December 1949, K K Nayyar addressed a communication to Govind Narayan who was Home Secretary to the Government of Uttar Pradesh, stating that there was a ―magnificent temple‖ at the site which had been constructed by Vikramaditya, which was demolished by Babur for the construction of a mosque, known as Babri Masjid. The letter stated that building material of the temple was used in the construction of the mosque and that a long time had elapsed before Hindus were again restored to the possession of a site therein, at the corner of two walls. The letter recorded a reference to recent happenings and stated: ―"Some time this year probably in October or November some grave-mounds were partially destroyed apparently by Bairagis who very keenly resent Muslim associations with this shrine. On 12.11.49 a police picket was posted at this place. The picket still continues in augmented strength. There were since other attempts to destroy grave-mounds. Four persons were caught and cases are proceeding against them but for quite some time now there have been no attempts. Muslims, mostly of Faizabad have been exaggerating these happenings and giving currency to the report that graves are being demolished systematically on a large scale. This is an entirely false canard inspired apparently by a desire to prevent Hindus from securing in this area possession or rights of a larger character than have so far been enjoyed. Muslim anxiety on this score was heightened by the recent Navami Ramayan Path, a devotional reading of Ramayan by thousands of Hindus for nine days at a stretch. This period covered a Friday on which Muslims who went to say their prayers at the mosque were escorted to and from safely by the Police. As far as I have been able to understand the situation the Muslims of Ayodhya proper are far from agitated over this issue with the exception of one Anisur Rahman who frequently sends frantic messages giving the impression that the Babri Masjid and graves are in imminent danger of demolition."

 



On the night between 22-23 December 1949, Hindu idols appeared inside Babri Masjid .An FIR was lodged, complaining of the installation of idols inside the inner courtyard of the disputed site. The FIR, complaining of offences under Sections 147, 295, 448 of the Indian Penal Code was lodged at 7:00 pm on 23 December 1949 by Ram Deo Dubey, Sub-Inspector in charge. The FIR recorded that on information received from Mata Prasad, Constable No. 7, the complainant had arrived at the disputed site at 7:00 am and learned that a crowd of 50 or 60 persons had broken the locks placed on the compound of the mosque and had placed the idols inside, besides inscribing the names of Hindu deities on the walls. Thereafter, 5000 people had gathered to perform Kirtan. It was alleged that Abhay Ram Das, Ram Shukul Das, Sheo Darshan Dass and about 50 or 60 persons had committed an act of trespass by entering the mosque and installing idols, thereby desecrating the mosque.





K K Nayyar opposed the direction of the state government to remove the idols, fearing a loss of life. On 25 December 1949, K K Nayar recorded that puja and bhog was offered as usual. In spite of the directions to remove the idols, K K Nayar declined to do so stating that ―"if Government still insisted that removal should be carried out in the face of these facts, I would request to replace me by another officer"

Three days after the appearance of the idols(on December 26), then PM Nehru shot off a telegram to GB Pant on Ayodhya dispute saying, “I am disturbed at the developments in Ayodhya. Earnestly hope you will personally interest yourself in this matter. Dangerous example being set there, which will have bad consequences.” Also there are reports, which suggest that Nehru wrote a note directing state government to shift the idols of Ram Lalla and Sita out of Babri Masjid premises.

Nehru reiterated his concern in his letter to C Rajagopalachari, then Governor-General of India. “I wrote to Pantji last night, about Ayodhya and sent this letter with a person, who was going to Lucknow. Pantji telephoned me later. He said he was very worried and he was personally looking into this matter,” read Nehru’s letter, dated January 7, 1950.Another letter of Pandit Nehru (dated March 5, 1950) suggests that a directive to the Faizabad district administration, which apparently refused to comply with the directive. This letter was a reply to the one he received from celebrated Gandhian KG Mashruwala. Nehru wrote, “You refer to the Ayodhya mosque. This event occurred two or three months ago and I have been very gravely perturbed over it. The UP Government put up a brave show, but actually did little. Their District Officer in Faizabad [KK Nayar, ICS] rather misbehaved and took no steps to prevent this happening.”Nayar was the district magistrate of Faizabad then. Ayodhya falls in the Faizabad district (incidentally, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has recently announced to rename Faizabad district as Ayodhya). Nayar defended his decision of not acting on a directive of the country’s Prime Minister, which was routed through the state government. Nayar wrote a letter to the UP chief secretary saying, “I would, if the government decides to remove the idols at any cost, request that I be relieved and replaced by an officer, who may be able to see in the solution a merit which I cannot discern.”

On February 5, 1950, Nehru,  wrote to Pant saying that the Ayodhya dispute might have a bearing on the rest of India, including Kashmir issue.
“I shall be glad, if you will keep me informed of the Ayodhya situation. As you know, I attached great importance to it and to its repercussions on all-India affairs and more especially Kashmir.”
“I suggested to you when you were here last that, if necessary, I would go to Ayodhya. If you think this should be done. I shall try to find the date, although I am terribly busy,” Nehru wrote. This visit never materialised and the gates of the Babari Masjid were locked to pacify the escalating communal tension in Ayodhya.

KK Nayyar took voluntary retirement in 1952 and practised law at the Allahabad High Court.Taking the fight for Ram Mandir forward, KK Nayyar and his family joined the Jana Sangh. In 1952, his wife Sakunatala Nayyar  contested on the Jana Sangh ticket and became a member of Uttar Pradesh assembly. Later, in 1962, both KK Nayyar  and his wife became members of the 4th Lok Sabha, winning Bahraich and Kaiserganj constituencies respectively. Interestingly, their driver was also elected as a member of the UP legislative assembly from Faizabad assembly constituency. The couple was later arrested and jailed during the Emergency for protesting against the fascist regime of Indira Gandhi.

KK Nayyar remained as a Jana Sangh worker till his death, September 7, 1977.

Devotion of Orcha rulers towards Ayodhya

 In 1780, the ruler of Orchha Vikramajit (1776–1817) shifted his capital from Orchha to Tehri and renamed it Tikamgarh (Tikam is one of the names of Krishna).Vrishbhanu Kunwari, the Queen of Tikamgarh is said to have rebuilt or renovated Kanak Bhawan temple in Ayodhya .  The temple is dedicated to Lord Rama and Goddess Sita and is located north-east of Ram Janma Bhoomi. It is said that this palatial building was gifted to the newly weds by King Dasharatha’s youngest queen, Kaikeyi. According to legend King Vikramaditya renovated it during the Gupta period around the 4-5th BCE.

The idols of Sri Rama and Sita Devi are seated instead of the usual standing stance, the reason being that they were relaxed in their homes. There is no idol of Lakshmana too for the same reason as the younger brother-in-law is not allowed in the sister-in-law’s abode.

Janaki Mandir  in Janakpur in the Mithila region of Nepal, popularly known as the Nau Lakha Mandir was also built by  Queen Vrishabhanu of  in 1910 .Rani Mahal of Orchha is known well for the astounding architecture it has to boast about.The mahal also means the queen quarters. It was the royal chamber for the wife of Raja Madhukar Singh. He was greatly dedicated to Lord Rama and thus he decorated the rooms of the queen’s chamber with murals that depicted scenes from the great epics like Ramayana. The ceilings as well as walls both are festooned with beautiful paintings all over them.

In the reign of Jehangir, in 1618, Raja Veer Singh Deva Bundela of Orchha had built Keshavdeva temple at the cost of thirty-three lakhs in Mathura. A French traveller Tavernier visited Mathura in 1650 and had described the octagonal temple built in red sandstone. Italian traveller Niccolao Manucci who worked in Mughal court has also described the temple. Mughal prince Dara Shikoh had patronised the temple and donated a railing to the temple. The railing was removed Mathura governor Abdun Nabi Khan on the order of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and he built Jama mosque on the ruins of the Hindu temples. During the Jat rebellion in Mathura, Abdul Nabi Khan was killed in 1669. Aurangzeb attacked Mathura and destroyed that Keshavdeva temple in 1670 and built Shahi Eidgah in its place. 

Suriratna, a Princess of Ayodhya, became the Queen of the first Korean King

Ayodhya, which is best known as the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, also however, holds special significance for some South Koreans - many believe they can trace their ancestry to the city. This belief comes from several historical Korean stories, which tell the story of an Indian princess - Suriratna - who married a South Korean king and started a dynasty.

According to the legend, Princess Suriratna, also known as Heo Hwang-ok, went to Korea in 48 AD, some 2000 years ago, and started the Karak dynasty by marrying a local king. Some Chinese-language texts claim that the then King of Ayodhya had a dream where God ordered him to send his 16-year-old daughter to South Korea to marry King Kim Suro.

A popular South Korean book comprising fables and historical stories, Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), mentions that Queen Hwang-ok was the princess of "Ayuta" kingdom. The royal couple prospered. They had 10 sons and both lived to be over a 150 years old.

An anthropologist named Kim Byung-mo Ayuta appeared to confirm the widely held belief that Ayuta was actually Ayodhya, as the two names are phonetically similar. But there is no clear evidence to show that the princess even actually existed

"There have been several fictional renditions of the story as there is plenty of room for imagination."
The Karak dynasty

Kim is a common surname in Korea and King Kim Suro is considered to be the father of the Kim clan which is based in Gimhae. While traditionally children in Korea take their father's surname, the queen is said to have been sad that her children could not bear her surname.

"The legend says that therefore King Suro allowed two of their sons to take her name (Heo), which is used to this day." Today, historians say, descendants of the couple number more than six million, which is roughly about 10% of the South Korean population.

People from the Karak dynasty have also preserved the rocks that are said to have been used by the princess during her sea voyage to Korea to keep her boat stable.

Former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung and former prime minister Kim Jong-pil claim their ancestry to the Karak dynasty.

Devotion of Maharani Devi Ahilyabai Holkar towards Ayodhya

If a list is prepared  of people who led Hindu Renunciation  , Maharani  Devi Ahilyabai Holkar's name will figure somewhere in the top . If, in the current day, Hindus can visit and appreciate the centres so integral to the ancient history and evolution of the dharma, a significant part of the credit goes to her. It is unfortunate that most of these places do not bear inscriptions in her name, but it was perhaps her operative style too— the architectural restoration work was carried out of an innate sense of religiosity, and was not linked to politics or gaudy display of wealth. She led a campaign for the revival of Hinduism , throughout India .From Gangotri to Rameshwaram, and from Dwarka to Gaya, she spent money on rebuilding temples destroyed under the Mughal rule, in restoring the past glory of holy sites, in building new temples and in building ghats for easy access to almost all major rivers in the Bharatvarsha.The list of the temple architectural interventions by Ahilyabai is endless. The most significant one, however, is the current Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. Ahilyabai also refurbished the Dashashwamedh Ghat, site of the famous Ganga Aarti, built originally by Nanasaheb Peshwa and the Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation site in Varanasi.

The Somnath temple, in Gujrat was restored in 1783 by all the Maratha confederates, with significant contribution from Ahilyabai. She contributed to the betterment of facilities at Dwarka as well. At Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar, Maharani Ahilyabai constructed bridges and rest areas. With temples and rest areas in Kedarnath, Srisailam, Omkareshwar and Ujjain, Ahilyabai contributed to the improvement of facilities at other holy sites hosting Jyotirlingas too.

Among the imposing temple structures, constructed by Maharani Ahilyabai, which survive today is the Vishnupad Temple in Gaya. Legend has it that this is the site of Lord Vishnu crushing the demon Gayasura, and his footprint is etched in rocks. The temple is built on these rocks bearing 40 cm long footprint of Lord Vishnu. Ahilyabai, despite being a devout Lord Shiva devotee, got this temple constructed in 1787. The Ramachandra temple in Puri, Hanuman temple in Rameshwaram, Shri Vaidyanath temple in Parli Vaijnath and the Sarayu Ghat in Ayodhya all bear her contributions.



In Ayodhya Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar renovated Treta-ka-Thakur temple in 1784, and built the adjoining ghat.  Treta-ka-Thakur refers to an ancient temple constructed by the Raja of Kullu located at the banks of the Sarayu River in Ayodhya  at Naya Ghat. The temple is said to house the idols of Lord Ram which was carved in the ancient times out of black sandstones. The place is considered to be the spot where lord Ram performed an Ashwamedha Yagya. The ancient temple was damaged during the reign of Aurangzeb .Maharani Ahilyabai built another Treta-ka-Thakur and gave an annual assignment of Rs. 231 to it, the sum was paid by the ruler of Indore for a long time.

Hanuman Garhi Sanad received by Abhai Ram Bairagi from Safdar Jung

Hanuman Garhi is 1 km from Ayodhya railway station.The temple is a grand structure that takes 76 steps to approach .It is built atop a small hillock that also happens to be the highest point in Ayodhya. It is claimed that when Lord  Ram returned from the conquest of Lanka, and occupied the fortress in Ayodha, he assigned to his various Generals their different posts, giving to the much trusted Lord Hanuman, the leader of the monkey army, the command of the tower at the main entrance or gate, which was thenceforth called “ Hanuman Garhi.” This command Lord Hanuman is said to have retained until the Ayodhya of those days was conveyed away to heaven.

  In the main temple, Pawansut sits in the lap of Mata Anjani. Today, it is a well-fortified temple, with fourteen cannons adorning its ramparts. At its foot live hundreds of Bairagis, the more important ones live in modern buildings equipped with all conveniences. It is the most favoured temple for the lakhs of devotees who visit Ayodhya every year. For them a trip to Ayodhya has always meant a dip in the Sarayu, followed by a visit to Nageshwarnath and Hanumangarhi. Manywho visit Ayodhya are said to come first at Hanuman Garhi and then proceed anywhere else .

It is affirmed that up to Mansur Ali Khan’s time offerings to Hanuman, of flowers, Roli &c., were made at the foot of a glorious old tamarind tree, known by the name of Ram Chaura. On a certain occasion the Nawab just named was seized with a severe illness, which it was thought, was cured by the prayers of Abhai Ram, the chief of the then mendicants of Ayodhya, and this secured for the Nawab's good offices and gratitude. Lord Hanumdn is said subsequently to have appeared to Abhai Ram in a vision, and to have desired him to build a temple at Ram Chaura, and this he accordingly did.  This huge temple and its residential complex is spread over 52 bighas, described as a temple-fortress, and which in the 19th century possessed gifts from the crown that brought it Rs50,000 in revenue.

Copy of Sanad received by Abhai Ram Bairagi from  Nawab Safdar Jung  for Hanuman Garhi . Published in Tarikh-i Awadh Volume 5 by   Muhammad Najmul Ghani page number 200 .

The wordings of the Sanad are : "Be it known that this sanad was issued specially for Faqir (Bairagi) Abhayarama in perpetuity, with an order of exemption from taxes. It is imperative for the Faqir (Bairagi) Abhayarāma to build residential houses for his fellow Faqirs (Bairagis) on the mound and remain engaged in praying for the perpetual glory, grandeur and good fortune of the King. The present officers and employees and the future ones should not claim royal dues or civil claims from the mentioned land and should not demand the sanad for renewal every year. The sanad was issued under the seal of Abul Fatah Nasiruddin Muhammad Shah and dated 15th Rabi-ul-Awwal of the fifth regnal year, i.e. on 13th December, 1723."