Ayodhya Saga: Ujjain’s Vikramaditya Built Ram Temple Demolished By Mir Baqi

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): With January 22, 2024 merely a week away, an euphoria has gripped the country and the world alike regarding the new Ram temple and consecration of Ramlala’s idol in Ayodhya.

Though all are aware that Mir Baqi demolished an ancient Ram temple in Ayodhya in 1528 but no one is aware as to who had built that temple.

Mir Baqi who destroyed the temple and built a mosque over its ruins was a general of the ruler of Fergana in Uzbekistan – Babur-- a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his father and mother respectively.

The demolished temple at the birth place of Lord Rama was built around 2,000 years ago by mighty ruler of Ujjain Vikramaditya.

As a countdown to consecration of Ramlala’s idol in Ayodhya, Free Press has decided to bring forth hitherto unknown facts about the Ram temple.

A few historians and archaeologists have attributed the construction of the ancient Ram temple in Ayodhya to Ujjain’s great ruler Vikamaditya after a detailed research and evidence.

After Lord Rama walked into Saryu, also termed as jal Samadhi, and secretly left for Saket Dham, Ayodhya fell on bad days.

As per descriptions in ancient books, around 2,000 years back, King Vikramaditya undertook a pilgrimage to Lord Rama’s birth place. After setting up a base at Laxman Ghat of Saryu, the king traced the birthplace of Lord Rama in the holy city.

He later not only built a grand temple at the birth place of Lord Ram but also another 360 temples. Prominent among those were Ramkot, Nageshwarnath temple and Maniparvat. This fact is mentioned in detail in Ayodhya Darshan, a book published by Geeta Press Gorakhpur.

Modern day historians have traced an inscription placed at the gate of existing Kanak Bhawan in Ayodhya. The inscription was erected by Queen of Orchha Estate Vrishabhan Kunwar in 1891. A renewed inscription was placed there on April 13, 2019. The inscription clearly mentions that the earlier Ram temple was built by King Vikramaditya of Ujjain.

Foreign invader Babur attacked India in 1526. His Commander Mir Baqi, reached Ayodhya in 1528. On his behest the temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram was destroyed. As per British historian Alexander Cunningham in the 15-day-long war, Mir Baqi killed over 1.74 lakh Hindus and destroyed the temple. From the debris of temple a mosque was built.

'There is historical evidence'

There is historical evidence that the temple destroyed by Mir Baqi, the commander of Mughal invader Babar, in 1528 was built by King Vikramaditya of Ujjain. This fact was acknowledged by the Supreme Court also during the hearing of Ayodhya Ram Temple case.

-Dr. RC Thakur, historian and director of Ahswini Research Institute Mahidpur, Ujjain district.