The construction work of the temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram is going on in full swing in the holy city of Ayodhya. The Ram Lalla idol will be consecrated here on January 22, 2024, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This historic occasion has created an atmosphere of joy and the spirit of devotion for Bhagwan Ram.
Amidst the happiness over the “return of the king”, the Hindu society remembers all the Karsevaks who sacrificed their lives for the Ramjanmabhoomi from the era of Mughals to Mulayam.
OpIndia’s team has been in Ayodhya since December 2023, where we have met several such families who devoted their lives to the struggle of reclamation of Ram Mandir. Amongst these is the family of Ramesh Kumar Pandey. Pandey was shot dead on November 2, 1990, on the orders of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government.
Ramesh Kumar Pandey’s family resides in a rented house
The family of the late Ramesh Kumar Pandey resides in the Ayodhya Rani Bazar area. This place is very close to the Hanuman Garhi Temple. When we arrived at his house, it was locked. When we called, a youth named Suresh came out and introduced himself as Ramesh Pandey’s son. Suresh took us inside his home. There were not even enough essential items for daily living in the house. The house where Ramesh Kumar Pandey’s family lives is hundreds of years old.
This house is the property of Ayodhya King, and Ramesh’s family has been residing here for nearly 40 years as tenants. When we asked Suresh if he did not have his own residence, he replied ‘No’
Ramesh Pandey used to support the family by working at a brick kiln
Suresh told us that his father was originally from the neighbouring district of Gonda. In the 1970s and 1980s, he moved to Ayodhya for work. He was a clerk in a brick kiln here. Ramesh, an ardent devotee of Lord Ram, wanted to rent a house near Shri Ramjanmabhoomi. He eventually found a room to rent in Hanuman Garhi, where his family continues to reside. Suresh grew emotional while showing us a picture of his father.
After father’s death, mother raised the family
Ramesh reminisced about his childhood, saying that his father was around 40 years old at the time of his death in 1990. Ramesh’s wife was roughly 35 years old at the time. Ramesh was the father of four children, two daughters and two sons. In his absence, his wife took care of the whole family. Ramesh’s wife raised their children all alone and got them married as well. Suresh runs a modest shop now to support his family.
Ramesh Kumar Pandey was shot in the head on 2nd November 1990
Suresh Pandey recounted what transpired on November 2, 1990, while speaking about his father’s sacrifice. After the firing incident on October 30, 1990, the then-Mulayam Singh-led government believed it had crushed the Ramjanmabhoomi liberation movement. Suresh told us that his father had set out together with a group of devotees towards the Ram Jamnbhoomi with the desire to have the darshan of Lord Ram. Many other residents of Ayodhya were also in the group. Meanwhile, bullets were fired on the orders of the Mulayam Singh government. Ramesh Kumar Pandey was leading the group when a bullet hit his head, and he died on the spot.
The location where Ramesh was shot is close to Hanuman Garhi. This location is just three hundred meters from Ramesh’s residence. The Ayodhya police station is also only half a kilometer from Ramesh’s house and the spot where he was shot dead. It is said that after spotting the group of Ram devotees singing the Ram bhajan, police force that came out laid siege and opened fire, killing Ramesh Kumar Pandey. Suresh says that this pain will stay with him for the rest of his life, even though he was only two years old in 1990.
The heart-wrenching struggle to find Ramesh’s dead body
Suresh told OpIndia about the struggles his mother went through to get her husband’s dead body. It is said that no administrative officer was initially willing to explain what happened to Ramesh Pandey. Her husband’s death was revealed to her by people accompanying Ramesh in the group. Suresh recalls that his mother pleaded incessantly and kept trying to retrieve her husband’s body, foregoing food and water. Eventually, Ramesh Kumar’s body was found among the dead bodies of other victims.
Ramesh’s last rites were conducted in Ayodhya, after the legal formalities. Even at the time of the funeral, Ayodhya Police was present and the people who attended the funeral procession were also under the shadow of guns.
Supreme sacrifice went unacknowledged, and the family struggled for dignity
Suresh told us that after his father died and his mother was struggling with raising a family of four children, nobody came forward to help her. The local administration provided Rs 1 lakh, which was insufficient for sustaining this family. Suresh further said that for the past three decades, forget financial assistance, he and his family have been not been invited to any platform recognising his father’s sacrifice and his family has been deprived of the respect they deserve. However, Suresh is hopeful that in the changed atmosphere in the holy city, the government and people of Hindu society will take care of his house.
“Peace to father’s soul following Ram temple construction”
The late Ramesh Pandey’s family is overjoyed that a spectacular temple of Lord Ram is being constructed. Suresh told us that it felt like his father’s soul had found eternal peace. Suresh opined that the greatest credit for the construction of the temple goes to those Ram devotees who sacrificed their lives. Ramesh’s family also complimented the Modi and Yogi governments for the development of Ayodhya. In addition, Suresh hopes that the present government will erect a memorial in Ayodhya honouring his father’s sacrifice, which will serve as an inspiration to the bhakts of Bhagwan Ram today and in the future.
