A temple for Lord Shri Ram Lalla is being erected. My son’s sacrifice is finally coming to fruition. My son’s sacrifice has proved worthwhile.
This is what Akshay Devi, the proud mother of Avinash Maheshwari, who gave his life at the age of 19 while doing Kar Seva at Ayodhya during the Ramjanmabhoomi movement days, said as she awaits, with bated breath, to witness the Pran Pratistha ceremony at the Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.
The 72-year-old Akshay Maheshwari and her 76-year-old husband Manak Chand Maheshwari live in Prem Nagar in Ajmer, Rajasthan. They are the proud parents of Avinash Maheshwari. Avinash was 19 years old when he sacrificed his own life while trying to save several other Karsevaks during the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement.
While the holy city of Ayodhya is preparing for the historic return of their Prabhu Ram, it is important to revisit the stories of such brave Karsevaks who sacrificed their lives for the Ramjanmabhoomi from the era of Mughals to Mulayam. Among countless such known and unknown martyrs was this 19-year-old boy Avinash Maheshwari. His story of unwavering devotion and selfless service for his fellow Karsevaks stretches back 31 years.
After a nationwide campaign, on December 6, 1992, about 150,000 Karsevaks from across the country attended a rally called by the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Ayodhya. Eventually, a large number of charged Karsevaks stormed the heavily fortified premises of the Ram Janmabhoomi where the disputed Babri structure was standing and razed it to the ground. The movement marked the first significant step towards reclaiming the birthplace of Lord Ram which was forcibly occupied by Mughal rulers, as a symbol of Islam’s victory over the Hindu faith.
Avinash Maheshwari was part of a group of 28 devoted Karsevaks who had also reached Ayodhya from Ajmer, Jaipur to participate in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. They were scheduled to take the evening train back to Ajmer on December 6, 1992. Avinash, meanwhile, got busy attending to the injured Karsevaks. He was helping fellow volunteers to transport the injured Karsevaks to the hospital.
Avinash and others were diligently carrying out the relief work in the Tedhi Bazar area in Ayodhya when an unknown miscreant hurled a bomb into the area. The bomb caught Avinash’s eye. He quickly grabbed the bomb and threw it towards an empty two-storeyed building. The bomb went and landed on the balcony and exploded. After the bomb exploded, multiple fragments of shrapnel hit Avinash leaving him gravely injured. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died during treatment.
Avinash Maheshwari, then 19 years old, laid down his life to save the lives of hundreds of other Ram devotees.
He was hell bent on going to Ayodhya, left without my permission: Avinash Maheswari’s mother recalled
Avinash’s mother told the media that her complete family had settled in Ajmer in 1982. Her husband worked with the RSS. After seeing him, Avinash also joined the Sangh at the age of 12. He was fascinated by the ideology and the work the RSS did. He used to visit the branch frequently. He was a very bright student, she said.
Avinash’s mother further recalled how on November 26, 1992, Avinash began insisting on going to Ayodhya. She said that she was averse to the idea and discouraged Avinash but he was hell-bent. He went to his room in a rage and wept himself to sleep after she did not give him permission, but he had resolved that he would go to Ayodhya at any cost.
Avinash’s mother said that on November 28, his friend arrived at the house around five in the morning and called out to Avinash. When he heard his friend’s voice, he got up from his sleep, picked up his bag and immediately left home and headed to his father’s clinic. After meeting his father, Avinash left for Ayodhya with his friends, she recalled.
Whatever work is assigned to you, do it well: The last piece of advice Avinash’s father gave him
Recalling what happened on the unfateful day, Avinash’s father, Manak Chand Maheshwari, told NDTV, “A car attendant was injured during the demolition of the structure.” Avinash and others in his group were transporting him to the hospital. Meanwhile, another worker was reported hurt. Avinash reached the Tedhi circle to help these injured Karsevaks when a bomb was hurled at them. Avinash grabbed the bomb and flung it away, but as it burst, debris struck his face.”
Manak Chand Maheshwari recalled how before going to Ayodhya, his son came to see him at his clinic. He had advised Avinash, “Whatever work is assigned to you, do it well.” According to Maheshwari, at the time, a group of 28 individuals left Ajmer for Ayodhya.
Avinash Maheswari’s father recalls the atrocities committed by Mulayam Singh’s regime against the Hindu Karsevaks
Manak Chand Maheshwari told Dainik Bhaskar that he learned of his son’s death on December 6, 1992, through his acquaintances in RSS. On December 7, a curfew was imposed throughout the country. On December 8, he informed his wife that he had been asked to travel to the Jaipur-Ajmer bypass to identify his son’s body. Manak Chand arrived and discovered his son had terrible cuts on his neck and face. Manak Chand summoned a doctor and asked him to hide his wounds with a bandage before transporting his teenage son’s body back to Ajmer, fearing how his wife would react to seeing their son’s dreadfully wounded body.
On December 9, the Sangh proposed carrying out Avinash’s final journey in a procession, but Manak Chand turned down the proposal owing to the curfew imposed throughout the country. Regardless, a sizeable crowd assembled outside his house for Avinash’s final darshan.
Manak Chand recalled the atrocities committed by Mulayam Singh’s regime against the Hindu Karsevaks. He disclosed that when the Karsevaks gathered to see their 19-year-old slain son for the last time, they were peacefully chanting slogans like ‘Avinash amar rahe’. However, within no time the cops arrived, and they proceeded to mercilessly beat the people in the crowd with sticks and batons. Several persons suffered injuries in the incident, he added.
‘Didi, I will return soon, don’t worry‘: Sister received a letter from brother Avinash Maheswari after his death
On December 6, Avinash Maheshwari sacrificed his life in Ayodhya. His parents had last seen him on November 28th. Suman Kabra, Avinash’s elder sister, said that when Avinash arrived in Ayodhya on January 29, he wrote her a letter wishing her a happy birthday and informing her that he had arrived safely and would return soon. Suman’s birthday was on January 30, but she received this letter three days after he brother had passed away. Seema now ties Rakhi to Avinash’s photo. She stated that the loss of a sibling cannot be replaced in this life. But now that the temple is being erected, it appears that his brother’s sacrifice did not go in vain.
An excerpt from Avinash’s letter to his beloved sister:
Happy Birthday. I’ve reached Ayodhya. Everything is fine here. Do not get tensed. I’ll write the next letter soon. Hope Our parents Are doing well. I will write to them as well. Phoolon ka taron ka sabka kehna hai…ek hazaaron mein meri behana hai.
According to Manak Chand Maheshwari, around a month after Avinash’s sacrifice, Vishwa Hindu Parishad offered him a cheque for Rs 2 lakh, but he refused to accept it. After this, a school was opened at Bhajanganj, Ajmer, in memory of his son. This school started with 28 pupils and now has 650 students, he said.
Hiding their agony, the teary-eyed parents of Avinash Maheshwari remarked:
His sacrifice was worthwhile as eventually, his dream is taking the shape of reality.
