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The Ayodhya Temple-Mosque Dispute: Focus on Muslim Sources c7: Chap. 2: Literary Evidence: Non-Muslim Sources

The Ayodhya Temple-Mosque Dispute: Focus on Muslim Sources c7

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English

Contents

Chap. 2: Literary Evidence: Non-Muslim Sources

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Notwithstanding an attitude of unconcern and indifference on the part of historians in general and of non-cooperation and antipathy on the part of Muslim and leftist historians in particular, certain nationalist historians and scholars have succeeded in producing ample evidence of the existence and demolition of the temple in question, categorizable as under:
1. Archaeological finds
2. Architectural, art-historical, and epigraphical findings
3. Literary evidence Literary evidence is derivable from the following sources: i. Non-Muslim sources ii. Arabic and Persian sources iii. Urdu sources Let us devote this chapter to non-Muslim literary sources for facility of treatment.

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¹ Montgomery Martin, British Surveyor, *History, Antiquities, Topography and Statistics of Eastern India*, (a chiselled and revised version of No. 3 *infra*), Vol. II, 1838, pp. 335-336. Martin says, ‘The bigot by whom the temples were destroyed, is said to have erected mosques on the situations of the most remarkable temples; but the mosque at Ayodhya... is ascertained by an inscription on its walls... to have been built by Babur....’ He also speaks of the pillars of black stone in the mosque, which according to him were taken from some Hindu building.

I. British Government Records

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2 Edward Thornton, *A Gazetteer of the Territories under the Government of the East India Company*, Vol. IV, 1854, pp. 739-740. Thornton refers to the tradition that 'Rama took his flight to heaven, carrying with him the people of his city; in consequence of which it remained desolate until repeopled by Vikramaditya, king of Oojein...and by him embellished with 360 temples....according to native tradition, they were demolished by Aurangzebe, who built a mosque on part of the site. Thornton discredits the tradition, 'attributing the work to the conqueror Baber.' He also refers to 'fourteen columns' 'said to have been taken from the ruins of the Hindoo fanes'.

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3 A 10000-page manuscript by Francis Hamilton Buchanan (1807-1814) entitled *Survey of Gorakhpur District*, Vol. I, British Library, London, MS No. Eur D91, vide Sher Singh, 'Who Built the Babri Masjid?', *Daily Telegraph* for 31.10.1991, read with Durga Prasad Bhattacharya's letter in the *Statesman* for January 11-12, 1991. Its microfilmed set is said to be available at the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, and summary in records Nos. (1) and (2) above. He takes note of the tradition that the mosque in question was built by Aurangzīb by demolishing a Hindu temple. He also refers to the pillars 'in the mosque built by Bābar' and adds that 'it is probable they were taken from the ruins of the place.'

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4 Surgeon General Edward Balfour, *Encyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia*, 1858, p.56. According to Balfour, Ayodhya has 'three mosques on the sites of three Hindu shrines: the Janmasthan on the site where Rama was born....'

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5 P. Carnegy, *A Historical Sketch of Tehsil Fyzabad, with the Old Capitals Ajudhia and Fyzabad*, Lucknow, 1870, pp.5-7, 19-21. Carnegy states that Bābar built the mosque at the site then occupied by the 'fine temple in the Janmasthān ; for many of its columns are still in existence and in good preservation, having used by the Musalmāns in the construction of the Bābarī mosque.’ He also reports that ‘the Hindūs and Mahomedans alike used to worship in the mosque-temple. Since the British rule a railing has been put up to prevent dispute, within which in the mosque the Mahomedans pray, while outside the fence the Hindūs have raised a platform on which they make their offerings.’

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⁶ *Gazetteer of the Province of Oudh*, Vol. I, 1877, pp. 6-7. It simply follows Carnegy verbatim.

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⁷ A.F.Mettell, *Report of the Settlement of the Land Revenue Fyzabad District*, Allahabad, 1880, pp.216-217, 234-235, 238. He, too, refers to the replacement of the Janmasthan temple by the mosque in question.

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⁸ *Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Sereis, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh*, Vol. II, pp. 338-339. It says, ‘At one corner of a vast mound known as Rāmkot, or the fort of Rāma, is the holy spot where the hero was born. Most of the enclosure is occupied by a mosque built by Bābar from the remains of an old temple, and in the outer portion a small platform and shrine mark the birthplace.’

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⁹ A. Führer, *The Monumental Antiquities and Inscriptions, in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh*, *Archaeological Survey of India Report*, 1891, pp. 296-297. Führer refers to the tradition that on Janmasthan ‘Mīr Khān built a masjid in A.H. 930, during the reign of Bābar, which still bears his name. This old temple must have been a fine one, for many of its columns have been utilized by the Musalmāns in the construction of Bābar’s Masjid.’

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¹⁰ H.R. Neville, *Barabanki District Gazetteer*, Lucknow, 1902, pp. 168-169. Neville also says that the Janmasthan temple ‘was destroyed by Babar and replaced by a mosque.’

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¹¹ H.R. Neville, *Fyzabad District Gazetteer*, Lucknow, 1905, pp. 172-177. According to the author, ‘The Janmasthan was in the Ramkot and marked the birthplace of Rama. In 1528 A.D. Babar came to Ayodhya and halted here for a week. He destroyed the ancient temple and on its site built a mosque, still known as Babar’s mosque. The materials of the

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old structure were largely employed, and many of the columns were in good preservation.'

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12 Report of the Archaeological Survey of India, 1934, which identifies the Bābarī mosque with Rāma Janmabhūmi.

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13 Col. J.E.A. Chamier, District Judge, Fyzabad's order dated March 26, 1886, in Civil Appeal No. 27 of 1885, Mahant Raghubīr Dās versus Secretary of State for India and Muḥammad Aṣghar: '...the masjid built by Babar stands on the border of the town of Ayodhya, that is to say to the west and south it is clear of habitations. It is most unfortunate that a masjid should have been built on land specially held sacred by the Hindus, but as that event occurred 356 years ago it is too late now to remedy the grievance....'¹

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¹ *Muslim India*, March 1986, p. 107

II. Congress Government Records

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EV. Joshi, *U.P. District Gazetteers–Faizabad*, Lucknow, 1960, p. 352. (Mrs.) Joshi writes, 'The Janmasthan was in Ramkot and marked the birthplace of Rama. It seems that in 1528 Babur visited Ayodhya and under his orders this ancient temple was destroyed and on the site was built what came to be known as Babur's mosque... Outside the outer wall of this contested shrine there is an old and broken image of the Varah (boar).'

III. Travelogues

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1 Joseph Tieffenthaler, *Description Historique et Geographique de L' Inde* (History and Geography of India) in Latin. French translation by Jean Bernoulli in 1786. Tieffenthaler (1710-1785) toured in Avadh during 1766-1771. He writes, 'But a spot particularly famous is known as Sitha Rassoi, i.e. Table of Sita, Ram's wife .... Emperor Aurengzebe demolished the fortress called Ramkot and got erected a Muslim temple with three domes, on the same place. Others say that it was constructed by Babor. Fourteen pillars of black stone, 5 spans high, are located in the fortress; 12 of these pillars are in the interior arch of the mosque; 2 (out of 12) are at the door of the cloister. The other two are in the tomb of an unknown Maure (Muslim).... On the left, one can see a square box raised five inches above the earth....Hindus call it Bedi (i.e. the cradle) because formerly it was the house where Beschan and his 3 brothers were born under the form of Ram.... In his slight, Aurengzebe or according to some Babor destroyed this place in order to prevent Hindus from performing their rituals on this place. However, they still peform their rituals at another place which is the birthplace of Ram, by going round it three times and then prostrating flat on the ground.' The author obviously refers to Rāmanavamī festival when he adds, 'On 24th of Chaitrra a large number of people gather here to celebrate the birth of Ram extremely popular throughout India.'¹

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¹ Abhas Kumar Chatterjee, 'Ram Janmabhoomi: Some More Evidence', *History and Casuistry*, pp. 105 ff., gives a slightly different translation.

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2 Travelogue of William Finch, a European traveller (1608-11), incorporated in William Foster, *Early Travels in India, 1583-1619*, London, 1921, pp. 176. Finch observes, 'Heere are also the ruines of Ranichand (s) castle and houses, which the Indians acknowled(g)e for the great God, saying that he tooke flesh upon him to see the tamasha of the world. In these ruines remayne certain Bramenes, who record the names of all such Indians as wash themselves in the river running thereby; which custome, they say, hath continued foure lackes of yeeres (which is three hundred ninetie foure thousand and five hundred yeeres before the worlds creation). Some two miles on the further side of the river is a cave of his with a narrow entrance.... Out of the ruines of this castle is yet much gold tryed. [This practice is mentioned in the A'īn (Blochman and Jerret's transln, vol. ii, p. 171) -- editor's note]

IV. Sanskrit Sources

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1. *The Skanda-Purāṇa*
i) The Badarikāśrama-Māhātmya, in which a rather clear indication of the Rāma temple is discernible. It says that 'One who visits Ayodhya the way enjoined sheds all one's sins and finds one's abode in the house of Hari (*Hari-mandira*).¹ Likewise, 'for one who takes bath in the Svargadvāra and visits the Rāma temple (*Rāmālaya*) nothing remains to be done here and he has fulfilled his duty.'² It is difficult to date this work.
(ii) The *Ayodhyā-Māhātmya* refers to *Rāmajanmasthāna* once, *janmasthāna* twice, and *Janmabhūmi* twice.³ Paying a visit (*pradarśana*) to the same is said to be infinitely meritorious, hence one may be tempted to take the names for some shrine. This work is found quoted in the *Tīrthaprakāśa*, viz. Mitramiśra, *Vīramitrodaya*, Vol. X; in the *Kṛṣṇasandarbha*, viz. Jīvagosvāmin, *Śatasandarbha*, *fourth Sandarbha*; and in a late Sanskrit work, *Satyopākhyāna*, pertaining to the Rasika branch of Rāmabhakti.⁴ The work cannot, therefore, be later than the 14th century A.D.

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¹ *Ayodhyāṁ vidhivad dṛṣṭvā purīṁ muktyekasādhanīm* *Sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ prayāti Hari-mandiram* *Skanda-Purāṇa*, II, Vaiṣṇava-Khaṇḍa (2), Badarikāśrama-Māhātmya (3), 1.24

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² *Svargadvāre naraḥ snātvā dṛṣṭvā Rāmālayaṁ śuciḥ* *Na tasya kṛtyaṁ paśyāmi, kṛtakāryo bhaved yataḥ* *Ibid.*, Śloka 26

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³ *Tasmāt sthānata aiśāne Rāmajanma pravartate* *janmasthānaṁ idaṁ proktaṁ mokṣādiphalasādhanaṁ* *Vighneśvarāt pūrvabhāge Vasiṣṭhād uttere tathā* *Laumaśāt paścime bhāge janmasthānaṁ tataḥ smṛtam* *Kapilāgosahasrāṇi yo dadāti dine dine* *Tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti janmabhūmeḥ pradarśanāt* *Niyamasthaṁ naraṁ dṛṣṭvā janmasthānaṁ viśeṣataḥ* *Matāpitror gurūṇāṁ ca bhaktim udvahatāṁ satām* *Tatphalaṁ samavāpnoti Janmabhūmeḥ pradarśanāt* *Ibid.*, *Ayodhyā-Mahātmya* (8), Adhyāya 10, Śloka-s 18, 19, 22

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⁴ Hans Bakker, *Ayodhyā*, Part I, pp. 129-130

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2. The *Bhuśuṇḍi-Rāmāyaṇa*, assignable to early 16th century, does not go beyond mentioning Hanumān, Sugrīva, Lakṣmaṇa, and Vibhīṣaṇa as guards of the forts (koṭa-s) of Ayodhya.¹

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¹ *Hanumantaṁ ca, Sugrīvaṁ, Lakṣmaṇaṁ ca, Vibhīṣaṇaṁ* *Ayodhyā-koṭapālāṁa ca prātar utthāya yaḥ smaret* *Kalyāṇaṁ samavāpnoti duḥsvapnadīṅ's ca nāśayet* *Bhuśuṇḍi-Rāmāyaṇa*, I, 102, 118-119

V. Hindi Sources

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1. The *Avadhavilāsa Mahākāvya* by Sant Lāladāsa, edited and published by Dr. Chandrika Prasad Dikshit, Director, Akhila Bhāratīya Candadāsa Sāhitya Śodha Samsthāna, Civil Lines, Banda, U.P. in 1983. Santa Lāladāsa belongs to the 17th century A.D. and composed the work in 1732 of Vikrama era,² viz. 1675 A.D. Its 11th chapter (*viśrāma*) titled '*Janmotsava*' describes the *Rāma Janmabhūmi/Janmasthāna*, which according to it, secures heaven for whoever pays a visit to it. Its description of the location of the *Janmabhūmi/Janmasthāna* appears to follow the *Ayodhya-Māhātmya*.³

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² *Saṁvat satrah sai batis sudi Baiśakh sukāla* *Lāl Avadh madhi rahi racyo Avadhavilāsa rasāla* Lāladāsa, *Avadhavilāsa* 1.46, p. 9

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³ *Ibid.*, 11. 375, p. 268

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2. Jaswant, a poet of Avadhī, is said to have composed 70 poems on the wars between Mīr Bāqī and the Hindus over the possession of the Janmabhūmi. Rāmagopāla Pāṇḍeya 'Śārada' treats him as Mīr Bāqī's contemporary, giving three samples of his poems which do appear to give the air of their contemporaneity. It is also possible, however, that the poems are based on some contemporary account of the wars. Two of the poems⁴ describe the war between Mīr Bāqī and Devīdīn Pāṇḍeya and the third¹ between Humāyūṅ and Rānī Jayarāja Kumārī. Dr. Janardana Upadhyaya of K.S. Saket P.G. College, Avadh University, writes to me, however, that both Devīdīn Pāṇḍeya and the Rānī belonged to the 19th century and that the Rānī did lead a war for the *Janmabhūmi*. According to him, there did exist a Jaswant Kavi in about the first half or first quarter of this century. No other Jaswant Kavi is known to those who are supposed to know, as belonging to Avadh.

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⁴ *Kaṭi kaṭi kallā se dupalla bhūmi dāri dīnheṅ* *Māno mīcu āpahī bha'ī hai rūpa khāṅḍe kī* *Allā Allā bali ke Musallā karai hallā lage* *Rāh dhari bhāgi ke Goshā'īṅganj Tāṅḍe kī* *kholī pheṅkī luṅgī au lagāya ke tilaka bhāl* *Roya hātha jori lāge māṅge bhīkh chhāṅḍe kī* *Phabbī raṇa-bhūmi jhūm jhabbī bha'ī Hindun kī* *Dekhi ke junabbī jor Devīdīn Pāṅḍe kī* *Iṅ; ke lagat hī caṭaki khoparī jo ga'i* *Bāndhi kasi sāphā soṅ turant bīra haṅsigo* *Bhāṣai Jaswanta ṭāp ghoḍā kī aḍāya danta* *Sindhur ke sīśa ko kasauṭī jāni kasigo* *Bhayabhīta haudā meiṅ lukānyo jāya Mīr Bāṅkī* *Khīci khaḍga myān soṅ turant tom tasigo* *Suṇḍa kaṭi muṇḍa kaṭi aur lauha kuṇḍa kaṭi* *Kaṭi phīlawān ko jamīn meiṅ jāya dhaṅsigo* Rāmgopāla Pāṇḍey 'Śārada', *Śrī Rāma Janmabhūmi kā Raktarañjita Itihāsa*, pp. 67-68

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¹ *Camma camma camaki camū meiṅ cañcalā sī cāru* *Rudhira tarangiṇī meiṅ cān soṅ tirai lagī* *Raṇa bhūmi nabha meiṅ ghumaṇḍi andhiārī rūpa* *Ghor ghana mālā jyoṅ ghaṭān sī ghirai lagī* *Lālī sī karāl Mahākālī hwai nikārī jībh* *Lappa lappa lapaki bhujangiṇī bhirai lagī* *Chattā se mukattadār dāḍhī wāre śīśan pai* *Rānī Jayarāja kī junabbī yoṅ phirai lagī* Loc. cit.

VI. Panjabi Sources

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Guru Nānak was a contemporary of Bābar and has given an eye-witness acount of the ravages wrought by the tyrant at Aimanabad. The great Guru's *Bābar-Vāṇī* contains the strongest ever condemnation of Bābar's vandalism. The text mentions, inter alia, that, thanks to the vandal's destruction mania, temples as strong as a thunderbolt were set on fire:²

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² *Guru Nānak Racanāvalī*, p.246

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*Thā̃n mukām jale bij mandar muchhi muchhi kuir rulā'iyā*

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Guru Nānak, according to Bhā'ī Mani Singh's *Pothī Janam Sākhī*, said to have been composed in 1787 Anno Vikramī/1730 A.D., visited Ayodhya and said to his Muslim disciple Mardānā: '*Mardāniā! eh Ajudhiā nagarī Srī Rāmchandra Jī kī hai. So, chal, iskā darsan karī'e.*'³ Translation : 'Mardānā! this Ayodhya city belongs to Śrī Rāmachandra Jī. Therefore, let us have its *darśana*.' Again, according to *Bhā'ī Bālā Wālī Janam Sākhī*, composed in 1940 A.V./1883 A.D., the Guru said: '*Bhāī Bālā! ih nagarī Srī Rāmchandra Jī kī hai. Ethe Srī Rāmchandra Jī ne avatār dhār ke charitra kīte han, so dekh ke hī chalī'e*.'¹ Translation : 'Bhā'ī Bālā! this city belongs to Śrī Rāmachandra Jī. Here Śrī Rāmachandra Jī took incarnation and performed (human) deeds. Therefore, walk with caution.'

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³ Rajendra Singh, *Sikkh Itihāsa meiṅ Śrī Rāma-Janmabhūmi*, p.10

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¹ *Loc. cit.*

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A more relevant account is found in Bābā Sukhbāsī Rām Bedī's *Guru Nānak Bans Prakāśa*, composed in 1886 A.V./1829 A.D.:²

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² *Ibid.*, pp. 10-11

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*Chale tahāṅ te sati-gurū Mardānā le saṅgi*
*Āye Audhpurī bikhe Sarju nadi jih saṅgi*
*Sarjū jal manjan ki'ā darsan Rām nihār*
*Ātam rūpa anant prabh chale magan hitu dhār*

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Tr.: 'Guru Nānak left the place with Mardānā and reached Ayodhya by which the Sarayū river flows. After bathing in the Sarayū, he gazed at Rāma for *darśana* and then left overjoyed and earning his merit.' It appears, therefore, that, if the account is faithful, the great Guru did visit the Rāma temple, which had not yet suffered desecration.

Cites (2)