Thirteen Years and Counting ........(Part -19)

Right at 10:00 A.M we met at a restaurent and chalked out the plan for whole day. We decided to see the bylanes and temples first and then the nearby places in search of meeting some people and resident of Ayodhya.

Ayodhya city is a stretch on both sides of National Highway which connects the state capital Lucknow to another important city Gorakhpur. On regular intersections this Highway is divided by narrow roads which allows you to enter in the temple town on the west side of the road while majority of the residents and houses are located on east side of the road. This is an odd distribution of temples and common residents of Ayodhya. These narrow bylanes carry you to various temples right from the entrance of Ayodhya to the extreme north of the town where river Saryu flows eastward.

We decided to pick the west side of the road to enter in the temple bylane. The road which connects the national highway goes deep inside the temple bylanes touching most of the important temples including the disputed site.

These bylanes are occupied by small shpkeepers having shops of sweets,idols,sandal,Khandau(Wooden Chappals), Books of rituals ,Kanthi-Mala(Holy necklace) and other useful goods which you require in a traditional Hindu ritual.
Most attrctive thing is that in the bylane which connects the National Highway to disputed site,you will see CDs,DVDs and Cassets of 1992 demoliotion event of mosque and sppeches of Hindu hardliner leaders.
The first temple which comes in your way is Hanuman Garhi. A prominent temple where idols of Hanuman along with his mother Anjana attrcts you from a distance.You have to cross 75 odd stairs to reach inside the temple. This temple is managed by Naga Sadhus by diving the whole area of temple in seven pattis(division).Each patti own an Akhara where wrestlers are groomed.

We crossed Hanuman Garhi and Kanak Bhavan (House of Gold) and proceeded towards a narrow lane which connects a small muslim area further crosses to a Jain temple on west side and another temple bylane on north side.On south of this small narrow areas is again cluster of temples. At a glance no one can notice this tiny area situtaed amidst the cluster of temples.May be a dozen of houses or even less.
Ami was determined to enter inisde that area. I too agreed but I adviced her to meet one very calm and intelectual person who had setteled in a lonely house situated alongside this area.
Ami agreed and we headed to meet Dr R.C .Prasad.
Dr R.C. Prasad was an intelligent person having an extrme knowledge about the town and the problems of it. A very humble man,he had shifted from Agra along with his family.However he was spending his days all alone when we went to meet him and seek his version.

He was known to me and I was sure that he would be glad to see a journalist at his house. He offered a chair to us and a glass of water.Did not speak anything but carried us inside his beautifuly designed house and shown us some trunks,boxes,luggage and kitcheware. I was not sure what he was trying to prove and then only he told to both of us that the boxes,trunks and luggage belonged to some Muslim families who left the town before the event of Ram Shila Pujan in fear of breaking a riot.
Ami took some photographs but we were not sure how to react on this situation when Dr Prasad told us that even he is planning to leave the town.

We thanked to Dr Prasad and headced towards that area. I could not believe that most of the house were locked and families had left the town in order to protect the woman and kids.

There was no one in that area with whom we could have a talk. As soon as we were moving out of the place, we saw a small structure in ruins. At first we could not identify but then I read on the walls of ruin building and it read 'Kanya Primary Pathshala'(Girls Primary School).

We could not identify whether the school was ruined as a result of riot which broke in 1993 after demolition of mosque or it was really an old structure which collapsed due to bad weather.
Sun was rapidly moving towards western sky,we were hungry and had spent whole day roaming around the town,so we headed towards our destinations.

To be continued......... Closing towards event--The Flag March on the streets of Ayodhya)