Welcome to Eternal Path! This week we feature the Kothari Bros, and event on Hindu filmmakers, and an aesthetic.
Martyr Highlight: Kothari Bros
With the celebration of Deepavali earlier this week, and especially vibrant celebrations in the birthplace of Lord Ram (Ayodhya), it behooves us as a Hindu community to pay respects to key members of our community who helped make it happen. Ram Kumar Kothari (1968 - 1990) and Sharad Kothari (1970-1990) are two of those central figures.
Born in the late 1960’s to a Marwari family in Kolkata, they were drawn to religion and Hindu movements from a young age. Later, the brothers joined the Ram Ratha Yatra in September 1990. meant to catalyze a political movement to build a temple at Lord Ram’s birthplace (Ram Janmabhoomi), then occupied by the Babri Masjid (a mosque which Mughal records jubilantly noted was built on a temple). They went together as brothers to join the movement, inspired by the brothers Ram and Lakshman.
When the yatra arrived to Ayodhya on October 30th, 1990, the group led by the brothers was the first to install the Hindu flag on top of the mosque, liberating it. Then a few days later, on November 2nd, the kar sevaks (volunteers) organized a ramdhuni kirtan (singing of songs to Lord Ram) on the streets of Ayodhya. That fateful day, Inspector General SMP Sinha ordered his folks to not let anyone pass into Ayodhya. However the crowd moved on toward Ayodhya. Then the police (who reported to anti-Hindu politician and casteist warlord Mulayam Singh Yadav) started firing tear gas into the crowd, and refused to allow the kar sevaks to lend help to each other, and later shot guns largely at the chests and heads of the protestors (intending to kill). The Kothari brothers, in another part of Ayodhya managed to again get a flag on top of the mosque, but were mowed down by Yadav’s forces. Mulayam Singh later claimed he ordered the firings to “uphold the faith of the Muslim community.”
They were supposed to return to Kolkata two weeks later for their sister’s wedding, which still occurred, but in a sombre mood. Later, the BJP withdrew support to the reigning Indian government, and won a majority in UP elections. This led the way for the destruction of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.
However nearly 27 years of purgatory passed until late 2019, when the Indian supreme court finally decreed that a temple could be rebuilt on the site. This brought much relief to Sumitra Devi, the mother of the Kothari Bros, and their living sister Purnima, and members of the family were invited to the Bhumi Pujan (groundbreaking ceremony) of the temple in August 5, 2020. Interestingly, the West Bengal government, led by Mamata Banerjee, let up on lockdowns on other days in August, but not the 5th, a clear indication she was politicizing the event for the benefit of her largely Muslim votebase.
For their efforts and for their ultimate sacrifice, the Kothari Bros are slated to have a road in Ayodhya named after them. To read more on their life, check out a website dedicated to the duo.
Event Highlight: Hindu Filmmakers Event (10/30)
Hindu University of America is hosting a session for the Hindu Heritage Month 2022 Virtual Conference series on “Hindu Filmmakers”, on Sunday October 30th at 12pm EST (9am PST).
To learn more and register, visit: https://blog.hua.edu/webinars/hindu-filmmakers