Ram Temple’s final ceremony shifts spotlight to the forgotten footsoldiers of mandir movement

After two grand Pran Pratistha ceremonies defined by high-profile attendance and political star power, the final chapter of the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya — scheduled for November 25, will mark a striking shift.

This time, the spotlight moves away from dignitaries and onto the grassroots workers who formed the backbone of the mandir agitation three decades ago.

Around 10,000 invitees are expected to attend the ceremony, alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The event, centred around the hoisting of the Dharma Dhwaj (religious flag) atop the temple, bears a clear imprint of the Sangh.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which is organising the ceremony, has curated the guest list to highlight the people who once mobilized at the ground level rather than those who dominate the headlines today.

Many of them carry memories etched in both devotion and turmoil.

Among them is Anil Kumar, who was 26 and heading the BJP youth wing in Mirzapur when he was jailed during the agitation in 1992. At the earlier Pran Pratistha events, he served quietly as a volunteer distributing food.

Today, 30 years later, he returns not as a helper but as an honoured participant — one among a group of 35 from Mirzapur, all now in their 50s and 60s, all tied in some way to the original movement.

There is also Mridul Shukla, now a scientist at the National Botanical Research Institute in Lucknow. In the early ’90s, as a student union leader, he says he was selected by VHP leaders to lead an “Islamikaran Virodhi Sena” — formed in opposition to what Kar Sevaks alleged was the state government’s attempt to “turn Ayodhya into Mecca.”

“I built a new life as a scientist,” Shukla reflects. “But the Sangh ideology stayed close to my heart. Many who stood with us back then are no more. The start of temple construction in 2020 brought the memories back. To be here as an invitee means something.”

The invitation list, finalised over six months by the RSS, is dominated by those who contributed to the movement in their communities — whether through mobilization, outreach or participation in the 1992 agitation. The selection intentionally cuts across caste and gender, with significant representation from SC, ST and women groups — a move seen as reinforcing the Sangh’s social outreach.

Nearly one-third of the invitees are from Ayodhya itself, countering criticism that locals were left out of the celebrations — a grievance frequently voiced in recent months. Another symbolic presence will be Iqbal Ansari, the primary Muslim litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, signalling an effort to project inclusion at a historic moment.

Some invitees see the occasion not only as recognition but as vindication.

Anil Kumar Singh, now 57 and an RSS functionary in Mirzapur, recalls his years as a young kar sevak. He, too, attended earlier ceremonies as a volunteer. “Life has come full circle,” he says. “We participated with belief, we went to jail for it. Now we hope Mathura and Kashi find closure as well.”

From tribal-dominated Sonbhadra comes Janardan Vaiswaran, who was an Intermediate student when he joined the 1992 mobilization. This is his first time as an official invitee. “Earlier we just served the movement. This time we have been called, given a phone call, SMS, letter and finally a card. We will cherish it always,” he says.

Ayodhya is preparing to accommodate the unprecedented turnout — roughly 1,600 homestays, tents and hotels have been booked. Yogi Adityanath reached Ayodhya on Monday to welcome Mohan Bhagwat ahead of the event.

Sources say the guest mix reflects a deliberate mosaic of castes and communities — from Kinnars and Kumhars to Lodhis, Yadavs, Dhobis, Pasis, Valmikis and Ravidas groups. ST participants have been invited not just from Uttar Pradesh but also from Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Karnataka. Nearly every name, sources say, has a direct or indirect association with the RSS.

A rare exception is Jaipur-based sculptor Saartyanarayan Pandey and his family, honored for sculpting the idols of the Pandavas and Sita placed in the Ram Darbar on the first floor. The central Ram idol — carved in white Makrana marble — completes the tableau.

As the flag rises over the temple on November 25, the moment is designed not only to sanctify a site but to underline a message: the Ram Temple movement is closing its arc by returning to those who fought for it long before the celebrations began.