The History of the

Rama-Janmabhoomi

Rajib Dawn
The Period of Ramayana & Mahabharata
There was a kingdom in India in its very earliest civilization, name- Kosala. Saketa was its first ever
capital. Saketa in Sanskrit, or Saket in Hindi, means Heaven, a place where God resides. Saket is
alternatively used for Vaikuntha in Hindu mythology. Saketa is the city- Ayodhya, the birthplace of
Lord Rama, the hero of epic Ramayana, as written by Maharshi Valmiki.
Kosala is not mentioned in the Vedic literature, but appears as a region in the later Vedic texts
Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Satapatha Brahmana (700-600 BCE, final version 300 BCE)
and the Kalpasutras (600 BCE). In the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas the ruling family
of the Kosala kingdom was the Ikshvaku dynasty, which was descended from king Ikshvaku. The
Puranas give lists of kings of the Ikshvaku dynasty from Ikshvaku to Prasenajit (Pali: Pasenadi).
According to the Ramayana, Rama ruled the Kosala kingdom from his capital, Ayodhya. After
Rama his son Kusha controlled the kingdom and Lava settled in Lavapur (the ancient Lahore).

Complete Ikshvaku dynasty:-

1. Ikshvaku 28. Tridhanva
2. Kukshi/Vikukshi 29. Tryyaruna
3. Kakutstha or Puranjaya 30. Satyavrata or Trishanku
4. Anena or Anaranya 31. Harischandra
5. Prithu 32. Rohitasva
6. Vishvagashva 33. Harita
7. Ardra or Chandra 34. Chenchu
8. Yuvanashva I 35. Vijay
9. Shravast 36. Rusak
10. Vrihadashva 37. Vrika
11. Kuvalashva (Also known as 38. Bahu or Asit
Dhundhumara) 39. Sagara
12. Dridhashva 40. Asmanjasa or Asamanja
13. Pramod 41. Anshuman
14. Haryashva I 42. Dileepa I
15. Nikumbh 43. Bhagiratha
16. Santashva 44. Shrut
17. Krishasva 45. Nabhag 
18. Prasenjit I 46. Ambarisha 
19. Yuvanashva II 47. Sindhu Dweep 
20. Mandhatri 48. Pratayu 
21. Purukutsa 49. Shrutuparna 
22. Trasadasyu 50. Sarvakama 
23. Sambhoot 51. Sudaas
24. Anaranya II 52. Mitrasah
25. Trashdashva 53. Sarvakama II
26. Haryashva II 54. Ananaranya III
27. Vasuman 55. Nighna 
56. Animitra (Raghu’s brother) 103. Susandhi
57. Duliduh 104. Amarsha
58. Dileepa II 105. Mahasvana
59. Raghu II 106. Sahasvana
60. Aja 107. Visrutvana
61. Dasaratha 108. Visvabahu
62. Rama 109. Prasenjit
63. Kusha 110. Takshaka
64. Atithi 111. Brihadbala (fought in the
65. Nishadha Kurukshetra war)
66. Nala II 112. Brihatkshaya (or Bruhadrunam)
67. Nabha 113. Urukriya (or Gurukshep)
68. Pundarika 114. Vatsavyuha
69. Ksemadhanva 115. Prativyoma
70. Devanika 116. Bhaanu
71. Ahingyu 117. Divakara (or Divak)
72. Ruru 118. Veer Sahadeva
73. Pariyatra 119. Brihadashva-2
74. Sala 120. Bhanuratha (or Bhanumaan)
75. Dala 121. Pratitashva
76. Bala 122. Supratika
77. Uktha 123. Marudeva
78. Sahasrasva 124. Sunakshatra
79. Para II 125. Pushkara (or Kinnara)
80. Chandravaloka 126. Antariksha
81. Tarapida 127. Suvarna (or Sutapaa)
82. Chandragiri 128. Sumitra (or Amitrajit)
83. Bhanuchandra 129. Bruhadaraaj (Okkaka)
84. Srutayu 130. Barhi (Okkamukha)
85. Uluka 131. Kritanjaya (Sivisamjaya)
86. Unnabha 132. Ranajjaya (Sihassara)
87. Vajranabha 133. Mahakoshala
88. Khagana 134. Shakya (Sihahanu)
89. Vyusitasva 135. Suddhodona (ruler of Shakya
90. Visvasaha Republic of Kapilavastu)
91. Hiranyanabha Kausalya 136. Siddhartha (or Gautam Buddha)
92. Para III (Atnara) 137. Rahula, the only son of Gautam
93. Brahmistha Buddha
94. Putra 138. Prasenjit
95. Pusya
96. Arthasidhi
97. Dhruvasandhi
98. Sudarsana
99. Agnivarna
100. Sighra
101. Maru
102. Prasruta
At the time of Mahabharata war Kosala Kingdom was split into five. Brihadbala, the descendant of
Kusha then ruled a part of the Kosala Kingdom whereas the Ayodhya then was ruled by a non-
Ikshvaku Deerghayaghnya. Brihadbala fought the war until death with Kaurava’s side.
Mahabharata says he was the last king of Ikshvaku dynasty. Bheema in his military expedition
conquered Ayodhya. Thus Ayodhya was then fell into Yudhisthira’s Great Kingdom Bharatv-arsha.

The Period of Buddha: Fading of Brahminism…

A Buddhist text, the Majjhima Nikaya mentions Buddha as a Kosalan, which indicates that Kosala
may have subjugated the Shakya clan, which the Buddha is traditionally belonged to. The
Buddhist text Mahavastu describes the Ikshvaku king Sujata established the Shakya capital
Kapilavastu at the similar time when Mahakosala was the king of Kosala kingdom. In the time,
Shravasti instead of Saketa was the capital of Kosala Kingdom. He conquered neighboring
kingdom of Kashi had become an integral part of the Kosala kingdom. Mahakosala's daughter
Kosaladevi married with king Bimbisara (500 BCE) of Magadha. Mahakosala was succeeded by his
son Prasenajit (500 BCE), who was a follower of the Buddha.
The Kosala kingdom was defeated by Ajatashatru (500 or early 400 BCE) of the Magadhan
Haryanka dynasty, and absorbed into the Magadha kingdom, which formed the basis of the
Mauryan empire. Kosala was finally annexed by Shishunaga.

Maurya Rule:
During the Mauryan reign, Kosala was administratively under the viceroy at Kaushambi. The
Sohgaura copper plate inscription, probably issued during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya deals
with a famine in Shravasti and the relief measures to be adopted by the officials. The Yuga Purana
section of the Garga Samhita mentions about the Yavana (Indo-Greek) invasion and subsequent
occupation of Saket during the reign of the last Maurya ruler Brihadratha. During this period
many Buddhist temples and Domes were built in Saketa.

Post-Maurya pre-Gupta Period: History Forgotten…

After the decline of the Maurya empire, Saketa appears to have come under the rule of
Pushyamitra Shunga and Shunga dynasty (190 to 80 BCE) . The Yuga Purana mentions Saketa as
the residence of a governor, and describes it as being attacked by a combined force of Greeks,
Mathuras, and Panchalas. Patanjali's commentary on Panini also refers to the Greek siege of
Saketa. Later, Saketa appears to have become part of a small, independent kingdom. The Yuga
Purana states that Saketa was ruled by seven powerful kings after the retreat of the Greeks. The
Vayu Purana and the Brahmanda Purana also state that seven powerful kings ruled in the capital
of Kosala. As the capital of Kosala, Saketa probably eclipsed Shravasti in importance during this
period. The east-west route connecting Pataliputra to Taxila, which earlier passed through Saketa
and Shravasti, appears to have shifted southwards during this period, now passing through Saketa,
Ahichhatra and Kanyakubja.
The names of a number of local rulers of Kosala of the post-Maurya period are known from the
square copper coins issued by them, mostly found at Ayodhya. The rulers, forming the Deva
dynasty, are: Muladeva, Vayudeva, Vishakhadeva, Dhanadeva, Naradatta, Jyesthadatta and
Shivadatta. Other local rulers whose coins were found in Kosala include: a group of rulers whose
name ends in "mitra" is also known from their coins: Satyamitra, Aryamitra, Vijayamitra and
Devamitra, sometimes called the "Late Mitra dynasty of Kosala". Other rulers known from their
coins are: Kumudasena, Ajavarman and Sanghamitra.
Ayodhya was ruled by Kushan dynasty thereafter (100 to 300 AD). The Tibetan text Annals of Li
Country ( 11th century text) mentions that an alliance of king Vijayakirti of Khotan, king Kanika,
the king of Gu-zan, and the king of Li, marched to India and captured the So-ked city. During this
invasion, Vijayakirti took several Buddhist relics from Saketa, and placed them in the stupa of
Phru-no. If Kanika is identified as Kanishka, and So-ked as Saketa, it appears that the invasion of
Kushans and their allies led to the destruction of the Buddhist sites at Saketa. Though, Kanishka
himself was a devoted Buddhist.
The 2nd century geographer Ptolemy mentions a metropolis "Sageda" or "Sagoda", which has been
identified with Saketa. The earliest inscription that mentions Saketa as a place name is dated to
the late Kushan period: it was found on the pedestal of a Buddha image in Shravasti, and records
the gift of the image by Sihadeva of Saketa.

Gupta Rule: Reviving the Legend…

Around the 400 AD, the region came under the control of the Guptas, who
revived Brahmanism. The Vayu Purana and the Brahmanda Purana attest that the early Gupta
kings ruled Saketa. It is possible that during the Gupta period, the fort of Rama restituted with
temple. The Buddhist sites that had suffered destruction during the Khotanese-Kushan invasion
appear to have remained deserted. The 5th-century Chinese traveller Faxian states that the ruins of
Buddhist buildings existed at "Sha-chi" during his time. One theory identifies Sha-chi with Saketa,
although this identification is disputed. If Sha-chi is indeed Saketa, it appears that by the 5th
century, the town no longer had a flourshing Buddhist community or any important Buddhist
building that was still in use.
During the Gupta time Saketa was recognised as the legendary city of Ayodhya, the capital of
the Ikshvaku dynasty, Lord Rama. The 436 CE Karamdanda inscriptions, issued during the reign
of Kumaragupta I, names Ayodhya as the capital of the Kosala province, and records commander
Prithvisena's offerings to Brahmins from Ayodhya. Later, the capital of the Gupta Empire was
moved from Pataliputra to Ayodhya. Paramartha states that king Vikramaditya moved the royal
court to Ayodhya; Xuanzang also corroborates this, stating that this king moved the court to the
"country of Shravasti", that is, Kosala. A local oral tradition of Ayodhya, first recorded in writing
by Robert Montgomery Martin in 1838, mentions that the city was deserted after the death of
Rama's descendant Brihadbala. The city remain deserted until King Vikrama of Ujjain came
searching for it, and re-established it. He cut down the forests that had covered the ancient ruins,
erected the Ramgar fort, and built 360 temples.
Vikramditya was a title of multiple Gupta kings, and the king who moved the capital to Ayodhya is
identified as Skandagupta. Bakker theorises that the move to Ayodhya may have been prompted by
a flooding of the river Ganges at Pataliputra, the need to check the Huna advance from the west,
and Skandagupta's desire to compare himself with Rama (whose Ikshvaku dynasty is associated
with the legendary Ayodhya). According to Paramaratha's Life of Vasubandhu, Vikramaditya was a
patron of scholars, and awarded 300,000 pieces of gold to Vasubandhu. The text states that
Vasubandhu was a native of Saketa ("Sha-ki-ta"), and describes Vikramaditya as the king of
Ayodhya ("A-yu-ja"). This wealth was used to build three monasteries in the country of A-yu-ja
(Ayodhya). Paramartha further states that the later king Baladitya (identified with Narasimhagupta)
and his mother also awarded large sums of gold to Vasubandhu, and these funds were used to
build another Buddhist temple at Ayodhya. These structures may have been seen by the 7th
century Chinese traveller Xuanzang, who describes a stupa and a monastery at Ayodhya ("O-yu-t-
o").

Post-Gupta pre-Mughal Period

Ayodhya probably suffered when the Hunas led by Mihirakula invaded the Gupta empire in the
600 AD. After the fall of the Guptas, it may have been ruled by the Maukhari dynasty, whose coins
have been found in the nearby areas. It was not devastated, as the 7th century Chinese traveller
Xuanzang describes it as a flourshing town and a Buddhist centre. However, it had lost its position
as an important political centre to Kanyakubja (Kannauj). At the time of Xuanzang's visit, it was a
part of Harsha's empire, and was probably the seat of a vassal or an administrative officer.
Xuanzang states that the city measured about 0.6 km (20 li) in circumference. Another 7th-century
source, Kasikavritti, mentions that the town was surrounded by a moat similar to that
around Pataliputra.
After the fall of Harsha's empire, Ayodhya appears to have been variously controlled by local kings
and the rulers of Kannauj, including Yashovarman and the Gurjara-Pratiharas. The town is not
mentioned in any surviving texts or inscriptions composed during 650-1050 AD, although it may
be identified with the "city of Harishchandra" mentioned in the 8th-century poem Gaudavaho.
Archaeological evidence (including images to Vishnu, Jain tirthankaras, Ganesha, the
seven Matrikas, and a Buddhist stupa) suggests that the religious activity in the area continued
during this period.
In the 1100 AD, the Gahadavala dynasty came to power in the region, and
promoted Vaishnavism. They built several Vishnu temples in Ayodhya, also in Ramkot, five of
which survived till the end of Aurangzeb's reign. Hans Bakker concludes that there might have
been a temple at the supposed birth spot of Rama built by the Gahadavalas (see Vishnu Hari
inscription). In subsequent years, the cult of Rama developed within Vaishnavism, with Rama
being regarded as the foremost avatar of Vishnu. Consequently, Ayodhya's importance as a
pilgrimage centre grew.
In 1226 AD, Ayodhya became the capital of the province of Avadh within the Delhi sultanate.
Muslim historians state that the area was little more than wilderness prior to this. Pilgrimage was
tolerated, but the tax on pilgrims ensured that the temples did not receive much income.

Mughal Rule: The Beginning of the Dispute…

In 1526 AD Rajput King Rana Sanga called Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. After defeating Lodi,
Babur battled against Rana Sanga and founded Mughal dynasty. According to an early 20th
century text by Maulvi Abdul Ghaffar and the surrounding historical sources examined by
historian Harsh Narain, the young Babur came from Kabul to Awadh (Ayodhya) in disguise,
dressed as a Qalandar (Sufi ascetic), probably as part of a fact-finding mission. Here he met the
Sufi saints Shah Jalal and Sayyid Musa Ashiqan and took a pledge in return for their blessings for
conquering Hindustan. The pledge is not spelled out in the 1981 edition of Abdul Ghaffar's book,
but it is made clear that it is in pursuance of this pledge that he got the Babri mosque constructed
after conquering Hindustan. The original book was written in Persian by Maulvi Abdul Karim, a
spiritual descendant of Musa Ashiqan, and it was translated into Urdu by Abdul Ghaffar, his
grandson, with additional commentary. The older editions of Abdul Ghaffar's book contain more
detail, which seems to have been excised in the 1981 edition. Lala Sita Ram of Ayodhya, who had
access to the older edition in 1932, wrote, "The faqirs answered that they would bless him if he
promised to build a mosque after demolishing the Janmasthan temple. Babur accepted the faqirs'
offer and returned to his homeland."
It is said that General Mir Baqi then, on Babur’s order, built a mosque in the birthplace of Lord
Rama Ramkot of Ayodhya in 1528-29. But, Tulsidas, who began writing the Ramcharit Manas in
Ayodhya on Rama's birthday in 1574 (coming there from his normal residence in Varanasi)
mentioned the "great birthday festival" in Ayodhya but made no mention of a mosque at Rama's
birthplace. Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak (1551–1602), who wrote Akbarnama, completing the third
volume Ain-i Akbari in 1598, described the birthday festival in Ayodhya, the "residence of Rama"
and the "holiest place of antiquity", but made no mention of a mosque.
Guru Gobind Singh fought many battle with Aurangzeb from 1688 to the death of Aurangzeb.
Muslim authors speculated him as hostile to the Mughals. He founded the Khalsha rank for
“Dharma Yudha” against the Muslim assault Aurangzeb. During the period too Rama was
worshipped there. But Aurangzeb sent his army with general Jabaz Khan to conquer the land from
Sadhus. Chimtadhari Baba Vaishnav Das, sought help from Guru Gobind Singh, who
immediately sent his army to protect Ram Janmabhoomi. The Nihang Sikhs along with the Sadhus
fought a fierce battle against the Mughal army, which had to bite the dust. Aurangzeb was so
shocked by this debacle that he did not dare another attack on Ayodhya for a long time. The Sikh
army, which came to fight the Mughals, is said to have first camped at Brahmakund. Guru Govind
Singh claimed himself a descent of Kush (son of Rama).
Jai Singh II (1688 – 1743) was the Hindu Rajput ruler of the kingdom of Amber, he later founded
the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. Initially, Jai Singh served as a Mughal vassal but
in the later part of life, he broke free from the Mughal hegemony, and to assert his sovereignty. He
was the first Hindu ruler in centuries to perform the ancient Vedic ceremonies like the
Ashwamedha sacrifices and the Vajapeya. He also promoted Sanskrit learning and initiated
reforms in Hindu society. It was his insistence that the hated jaziya tax, imposed on the Hindu
population by Aurangzeb (1679), was finally abolished by the Emperor Muhammad Shah. He built
five astronomical observatories at Delhi, Mathura, Benares, Ujjain, and his own capital of Jaipur.
He drew up a set of tables, entitled Zij Muhammadshahi, to enable people to make astronomical
observations. He had Euclid's "Elements of Geometry" translated into Sanskrit as also several
works on trigonometry, and Napier's work on the construction and use of logarithms.
Jai Singh II purchased land and established Jaisinghpuras in all Hindu religious centres in North
India, including Mathura, Vrindavan, Banaras, Allahabad, Ujjain and Ayodhya. The documents of
these activities have been preserved in the Kapad-Dwar collection in the City Palace Museum in
Jaipur. R. Nath, who has examined these records, concludes that Jai Singh had acquired the land
of Rama Janmasthan in 1717. The ownership of the land was vested in the deity. The hereditary
title of the ownership was recognized and enforced by the Mughal State from 1717.
William Finch, the English traveller that visited Ayodhya around 1611, and wrote about the "ruins
of the Ranichand [Ramachand] castle and houses" where Hindus believed the great God "took
flesh upon him to see the tamasha of the world." He found pandas (Brahmin priests) in the ruins
of the fort, who were recording the names of the pilgrims, a practice that was said to go back to
antiquity. Again there was no mention of a mosque in his account.
The first known report of a mosque appears in a book Sahifa-I-Chihil Nasaih Bahadur Shahi, said
to have been written by a daughter of the emperor Bahadur Shah I (1643–1712) and
granddaughter of emperor Aurangzeb, in the early 18th century. It mentioned mosques having
been constructed after demolishing the "temples of the idolatrous Hindus situated
at Mathura, Banaras and Awadh etc." Hindus are said to have called these demolished temples in
Awadh "Sita Rasoi" (Sita's kitchen) and "Hanuman's abode." While there was no mention of Babur
in this account, the Ayodhya mosque had been juxtaposed with those built by Aurangzeb at
Mathura and Banaras.
The Jesuit priest Joseph Tieffenthaler, who visited Awadh in 1766–1771, wrote, "Emperor
Aurangzebe got the fortress called Ramcot demolished and got a Muslim temple, with triple
domes, constructed at the same place. Others say that it was constructed by 'Babor'. Fourteen black
stone pillars of 5 span high, which had existed at the site of the fortress, are seen there. Twelve of
these pillars now support the interior arcades of the mosque." This ambiguity between Aurangzeb
and Babur could be significant. Tieffenthaler also wrote that Hindus worshipped a square box
raised 5 inches above the ground, which was said to be called the "Bedi, i.e., the cradle." "The
reason for this is that once upon a time, here was a house where Beschan [Vishnu] was born in the
form of Ram." He recorded that Rama's birthday was celebrated every year, with a big gathering of
people, which was "so famous in the entire India."

Modern Times: The Question on Existance…

In 1853, a group of Sikhs and Hindu ascetics belonging to the Nirmohi Akhara occupied the
Babri Masjid site, and claimed ownership of the structure. Subsequently, the civil administration
stepped in, and in 1855, divided the mosque premises into two parts: one for Hindus, and the
other for Muslims.
In 1883, the Hindus launched an effort to construct a temple on the platform. When the
administration denied them the permission to do this, they took the matter to court. In 1885, the
Hindu Sub Judge Pandit Hari Kishan Singh dismissed the lawsuit. Subsequently, the higher courts
also dismissed the lawsuit in 1886, in favour of status quo.
H.R. Neville, the editor of the Faizabad District Gazetteer (1870), wrote that the Janmasthan
temple "was destroyed by Babur and replaced by a mosque." He also wrote "The Janmasthan was in
Ramkot and marked the birthplace of Rama. In 1528 Babur came to Ayodhya and halted here for
a week. He destroyed the ancient temple and on its site built a mosque, still known as Babur's
mosque. The materials of the old structure [i.e., the temple] were largely employed, and many of
the columns were in good preservation." Shykh Muhammad Azamat Ali Kakorawi Nami (1811–
1893) wrote: "the Babari mosque was built up in 923 under the patronage of Sayyid Musa Ashiqan
in the Janmasthan temple in Faizabad-Avadh, which was a great place of (worship) and capital of
Rama’s father". Before the 1940s, the Babri Masjid was called Masjid-i-Janmasthan.
In 1946, an offshoot of the Hindu Mahasabha called Akhil Bharatiya Ramayana
Mahasabha (ABRM) started an agitation for the possession of the site. In 1949, Sant Digvijay
Nath of Gorakhnath Math joined the ABRM and organised a 9 day continuous recitation
of Ramcharit Manas, at the end of which the Hindu activists broke into the mosque and placed
idols of Rama and Sita inside. People were led to believe that the idols had 'miraculously' appeared
inside the mosque. Jawaharlal Nehru insisted that the idols should be removed. However, the local
official K. K. Nair, known for his Hindu nationalist connections, refused to carry out orders,
claiming that it would lead to communal riots. The police locked the gates so that the public
(Hindus as well as Muslims) could not enter. However, the idols remained inside and priests were
allowed entry to perform daily worship. So, the mosque had been converted into a de facto temple.
Both the Sunni Waqf Board and the ABRM filed civil suits in a local court staking their respective
claims to the site. The land was declared to be under dispute, and the gates remained locked.
In the 1980s, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu nationalist groups and political
parties launched a campaign to construct the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir ("Rama birthplace
temple") at the site. The Rajiv Gandhi government allowed Hindus to access the site for
prayers. On 6 December 1992, Hindu nationalists demolished the mosque, resulting in communal
riots leading to over 2,000 deaths.
In 2003, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted excavations of the site on court
orders. The ASI report indicated the presence of a 10th-century north Indian style temple under
the mosque. Muslim groups and the historians supporting them disputed these findings, and
dismissed them as politically motivated. The Allahabad High Court, however, upheld the ASI's
findings. The excavations by the ASI were heavily used as evidence by the court that the predating
structure was a massive Hindu religious building.
In 2010, the Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2.77 acres (1.12 ha) of disputed land be divided
into 3 parts, with 1⁄3 going to the Ram Lalla or Infant Lord Rama represented by the Hindu Maha
Sabha for the construction of the Ram temple, 1⁄3 going to the Muslim Sunni Waqf Board and
the remaining 1⁄3 going to a Hindu religious denomination Nirmohi Akhara.
The five judges Supreme Court bench heard the title dispute cases from August to October
2019. On 9 November 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the land to be handed over to a trust to
build the Hindu temple. It also ordered to the government to give alternate 5 acre land to Sunni
Waqf Board to build the mosque.