Shri Ram has been in our minds, culture, speech, love, reproaches, and sayings for centuries

By Dr. Satyavan Saurabh

Hello. In Haryana, there is a tradition of saying ‘Desi Namaste’ to strangers walking on the road. This shows that in the minds of the people of Haryana, which is considered the land of Geeta and Mahabharata, Shri Ram is more established than Shri Krishna. Many names like Ramphal, Rambhaj, Rampyari, and Rambhateri will be heard among the Haryanvi people. On January 22, 2024, in Ramnagar Ayodhya, a new chapter of Ramkatha begins; this is its own ‘Uttarkand’ of the struggle story that lasted for 493 years. Ramlala waited for five centuries to get a place in his soil and his courtyard, so the ‘trial of fire’ of Ram’s devotees has now been completed.

According to Dr. Himmat Singh, former professor of Kurukshetra University, Haryana, among the common people of Haryana, the criticism of Ramji rains a lot when it rains or Ramji rains Koni when there is no rain. To express good love and acquaintance with someone, we use the saying ‘Uschay toh meri Ram-Ram bi kauna,’ or to express ignorance, we use the saying ‘Ustai toh meri Ram-Ram bi kauna.’ Here, references to Ram are included in the songs, and mention of Ram is also found in the bhajans. Haryanvi bhajans like ‘Laddu Ram naam ka khala nai ho yoga kalyan’… or ‘Manai ib kai pilshan mil ja main to lyau Ram ki mala’… have been hits. To console someone, there are sayings like ‘Ram bhaali karega ya Andhe ki maakkhi Ram udavai.’

The 90-year-old Dr. Himmat Singh Sinha, who has done four PhDs on Ramayana, says that till 1999, there were more than 150 researches on Ram and Ramayana in Hindi-speaking areas. Now their number will be more than 250. A lot of research has been done in non-Hindi regions also. The credit for creating Ram in the folk life of Haryana and Hindi-speaking areas goes to many saints and poets and Arya Samaj. Considering Kabir to be of low caste, they were not allowed to go to temples at that time. Then Kabir propagated considering Ram as having no qualities.

Earlier, Adi poet Valmiki, Saint Ravidas, and Namdev propagated the Nirgun form. Arya Samaj has had a lot of influence in Haryana, and Arya Samaj has considered Ram as an ideal man. There are also camps in the state to propagate Kabirpanth. In Kabir’s couplets, Ra is considered as an umbrella and Ma is considered as the bindi on the forehead. That means everyone is considered a symbol of protection and respect. There has been a lot of mention of Ram’s incidents in the old songs of Haryana, which is why Ram’s influence is on the public mind from generation to generation, whereas there are no ancient temples of Shri Ram anywhere in the state, including religious cities like Kurukshetra. There are moral values and political philosophy in the imagination of Ramrajya. The most used saying in politics, Aaya Ram-Gaya Ram, also originates from Haryanvi politics. When in 1967, an MLA had switched parties thrice in a single day.

Luv-Kush had memorized Ramayana in Mundadi village of Haryana, and Mother Sita was present in Sivan village. In Kaithal Dadi, Luv-Kush, the sons of Lord Ram and Sita, had memorized the Ramayana from Maharishi Valmiki on this very pilgrimage, after which Maharishi Valmiki had observed silence. Due to this, the name of the village became Mundadi. There are temples of Shiva, Hanuman, and Luv-Kush on this pilgrimage. On the walls of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, there are pictures of Ram, Hanuman carrying Lakshman on his shoulders, Krishna with Gopis, Raasleela and Ganesh, etc. According to Narad Purana, one attains salvation by taking a bath in this pilgrimage on Chaturdashi of Chaitra month.

During the excavation of the temple’s pond, pottery and other antiquities from the Kushan period (1st-2nd century AD) to the medieval period (9th-10th century AD) were found. Which proves the antiquity of this pilgrimage. Maharishi Valmiki Sanskrit University is also being built here. At the same time, village Sivan or Sheetvan of Kaithal is considered by the people to be related to Jankanandini Sita ji. According to popular belief, Sita disappeared into the earth at this very place. That is why this pilgrimage is also known as Swargadwar. Apart from Mahabharata and Vamana Purana, mention of this pilgrimage is also found in Padma Purana, Brahma Purana, Kurma Purana, Narad Purana, and Agni Purana. It is also believed that Sheetvan got corrupted and became famous by the name of Sitavan in later times. In Vamana Purana, this pilgrimage has been placed after Matritirtha.

The people of Haryana can never forget the moments of the Ram Mandir movement when Ram Shilas came from every village for Ram Mandir and countless people of the country marched towards Avadhpuri for Kar Seva. Ram Mandir of modern India is a unique gift of truth, non-violence, and justice-loving India. This temple will indeed become a symbol of penance, sacrifice, and determination. This eternal temple will become a symbol of faith and national spirit. Whenever we have to do any work, we look towards Lord Rama. Say Jai to Lord Ram. Ram resides in our hearts. Ram is the basis of our culture.