Ram Temple Trust to seek SCs title suit evidence for museum preservation
LUCKNOW: The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to seek the return of key evidence and documents related to the Ram JanmabhoomiBabri Masjid title suit from the Supreme Court of India, with plans to preserve them in a museum being developed within the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple complex in Ayodhya. The materials include evidence and documents that formed the basis of the Supreme Courts landmark verdict delivered on November 9, 2019, which settled the long-standing dispute. According to Nripendra Misra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee and a former IAS officer, all archaeological and historical evidence recovered during excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India is currently in the custody of the Supreme Court. The Trust will formally write to the court requesting that these documents and artefacts be handed over to it for preservation. Misra, who was in Ayodhya, said that as there was now no legal challenge to the verdict, the Trust aimed to preserve the complete historical record for posterity. According to Misra, a museum with special galleries is being constructed within the Ram Temple complex. These galleries will present episodes from the Ramayana period and display artefacts recovered during archaeological excavations. An MoU is being finalised with IIT-Madras for the scientific design, presentation and construction of the museum and its galleries. Using modern technology, the museum will showcase ancient remains alongside important events from the Treta era. The galleries are expected to be completed by March 2026. Misra said the Ram Mandir complex would not remain only a place of worship but would also function as a research centre. He added that the temple trust planned to collect copies of various versions of the Ramayana prevalent in India and abroad. He said the Trust had contacted Varanasi Sanskrit University and initiated the process of acquiring an ancient copy of the Valmiki Ramayana. The museum on the temple premises is expected to help future generations understand both the archaeological history of Ram Janmabhoomi and the long movement associated with it. Moreover, the Temple Trust has also decided that a temple will be built at the exact spot where Ramlala, along with his brothers, was earlier enshrined before the consecration ceremony. A memorial dedicated to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the Shri Ram Temple movement is also being constructed nearby. A meeting of the Ram Mandir Trust was held in Ayodhya on Saturday, during which it was decided to celebrate the second anniversary of the consecration ceremony on December 31, 2025, as Pratishtha Dwadashi. As part of the celebrations, flags will be hoisted on the spires of the seven sub-temples built within the temple complex. All Pratishtha Dwadashi programmes will be held at Angad Teela. Major events will include Shri Ram Katha, Mandala Puja from December 27 to 31, and a musical Akhand Path of Shri Ramcharitmanas. Bhajan Sandhya will also be organised, featuring singers Anup Jalota, Suresh Wadkar and Tripti Shakya. Cultural programmes, including Kathak dance-dramas and a Kavi Sammelan, will also be organised. It was also decided at the meeting that around 400 workers involved in the temple construction will be honoured on March 19, 2026, coinciding with the Hindu New Year.
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