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Regrettable that New York City Mayor is threatening to withdraw India Day Parade Permit
The Grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram, signals the beginning of the healing process of a transgenerational trauma of the people of this “wounded civilization”
Dear Editor,
It is regrettable that the Honorable Mayor of New York City Eric Adams is threatening to withdraw our India Day Parade Permit pending the removal of the Ram Mandir float.
The Bhagwan Ram Temple in Ayodhya, India, was built, ending a nearly 500-year impasse. On November 9, 2019, the five-justice bench of the Supreme Court of India delivered its unanimous verdict to hand over the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi site to Hindus. Based on the report submitted by the Archaeological Survey of India, the Court declared that an underlying structure existed underneath the structure demolished by the Hindu karsevaks (volunteers) on December 6, 1992, and that the underlying structure was not Islamic.
Indic tradition has been an oral tradition, and most of its intellectual capital and its itihāsa have been preserved primarily due to it. Several mnemonic techniques were developed to preserve the Vedic texts. These texts had several paths (recitation styles). In addition, several other methods involving intonation, meter, etc., were also used. These methods are in use even today. Itihāsa, on the other hand, was preserved through lok kathā (storytelling), nātya (dance), and many other art forms. Maharshi Valmiki, the composer of the Ramayana, himself mentions that Ram’s story was recited orally, even by Ram’s sons.
We find Ramayana scenes carved on many temple structures and seals. One of the oldest Ramayana scenes is from the 2nd century BCE seal (The Battle for Rama by Meenakshi Jain). Mata Sita is shown throwing down her jewelry after being kidnapped by Ravana. A 3rd-century CE seal from Kashmir has ‘Ram Siya’ written in Brahmi script. Jain mentions several literary evidences, including in Persian, Arabic, and Urdu. Abu Fazl, the official historian of Akbar and the author of Akbarnama, mentions Ayodhya as the birthplace of Ram, and people celebrated Ram Navami in Ayodhya with a great deal of pomp and gaiety.
The Grand Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram, signals the beginning of the healing process of a transgenerational trauma of the people of this “wounded civilization” (V.S. Naipaul).
Amitabh Mittal,
General Secretary
VHP America
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