On 22nd January 2024 in Ayodhya, Lord Ram’s birthplace is scheduled to witness the consecration ceremony of his temple where the deity would reside in his childhood form. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among several prominent figures from around the globe in attendance at this particular event. The entire nation will celebrate Diwali once more on this day. Hindu society is commemorating all of the Kar Sevaks who sacrificed their life in the Ram Janmbhoomi movement on this auspicious occasion. Rajendra Dharkar was one of those many known and anonymous martyrs.
He was shot on 30th October 1990 when he was barely 16 years old on the orders of the then Mulayam government. OpIndia’s team arrived at Rajendra’s house and took stock of the current situation.
Poor financial condition of the family
Rajendra Dharkar’s house is just half a kilometre away from Ramjanmbhoomi. The house stands next to a canal that can be crossed by a narrow and temporary cement road. Rajnedra’s three nieces were inside the house and informed us that people are being given residences, however, they haven’t been able to access a bathroom. Water periodically flows from a supply tap in front of their place. The one-story house appeared to have been unpainted for at least twenty years. The plaster is also crumbling. The house of Rajendra’s uncle (father’s brother) is nearby. It is constructed out of a tin shed that is devoid of even a suitable bed.
It was pitch black when we went inside Rajendra’s house. It turned out that the power had gone out. The electrical board was uprooted. There were two bulbs installed in the two-room dwelling which had no power because of the absence of an inverter. The utensils were strewn all over the place. The oldest niece is around 18 years old. She revealed that she had discontinued her studies because of a lack of funds. The older brother of Rajendra, Chaman Dharkar currently makes a living by crafting bamboo baskets and other items.
Rajendra’s family came to Ayodhya many generations ago from Azamgarh district in search of work. His other brother Ravindra has three sons. The members of this family of 6 children are living hand and mouth. Meanwhile, Ravindra is also worried about the expenses that will be incurred in the weddings of his daughters. They have therefore hoped that the government will provide them with a permanent solution.
Poverty is not a hindrance to devotion
The family of Rajendra Dharkar may be living in extreme poverty, but the traces of adherence to God can be witnessed at every step of this house. Rajendra’s family worships a neem tree outside the house which they refer to as Goddess Sheetala. Posters of Lord Shiva were glued to the sooty walls when we entered the place. The pictures of God are routinely cleaned by them.
Rajendra was married but lost his life before gauna ceremony
Rajendra Dharkar’s nieces unveiled to us that their father Chaman narrates the 1990 incident in front of them. He stated that their uncle Rajendra was a staunch devotee of Lord Ram and a frequent visitor to the Janmbhoomi. On 30th October 1990, when Rajendra saw a gathering of Kar Sevaks from across the country in front of his own house, he too joined them. He started to move towards the disputed structure in the crowd of Kar Sevaks. Meanwhile, bullets started firing and claimed his life.
The nieces of Rajendra additionally shared with us that their uncle was married but the ritual of gauna, the consummation of marriage, was pending. He died before it could happen and the bride’s family arranged her marriage somewhere else. Chaman, Rajendra’s brother was equally adamant about accompanying him to Kar Seva at the time. However, it was reported that Rajendra asked him to look after the family and departed. Rajendra’s deceased parents were still alive then. The family consists of Rajendra’s brother Chaman Dharkar, his wife and three daughters.
Gauna is a northern Indian Hindu custom and the ceremony is associated with the consummation of marriage which is prevalent in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. It takes place several years after marriage and the bride stays at her natal home before the ceremony. Marriage is considered only as a ritual union and conjugal life begins only after gauna takes place.
Shri Ram Hospital was filled with blood
Rajendra Dharkarar’s aunt (uncle’s wife) Madhuri mentioned that she witnessed the instance with her nephew. She conveyed that they hurried to the scene as soon as they learned that Rajendra had been shot. They were stopped by the police and were not permitted to proceed any further. Madhuri Dharkar added that they managed to make it to Shri Ram Hospital somehow. She remembered that her feet were soaked from the amount of blood spilt at the hospital. The sounds of distant gunfire reached their ears. Rajendra was shot in the head and leg.
The body was thrown to the ground
Madhuri Dharkar further told us that they eventually located Rajendra’s body lying on the ground after searching through the many corpses kept at the hospital. The administration barred Rajendra’s family from taking his remains to be cremated. The body was taken from the hospital for autopsy. A fight broke out between Rajendra’s family and the administration at the post-mortem facility after which the body was handed over to the former on the condition that they would not be allowed to take it home.
She divulged that in the end, Rajendra’s family was compelled to transport his body straight from the hospital to the cremation site. The body was also accompanied by police personnel to the crematorium. She charged that nobody cared about the family in the previous thirty years despite their sacrifices for God. The family, however, was ecstatic to see the Ram temple being constructed and described it as Rajendra’s dream come true. Rajendra Dharkar’s family is hoping that the present administration will pay attention to their house and help to improve their financial condition.
