EXCLUSIVE: ‘All Muslims Must Light A Lamp In Their House On Jan 22’, KK Muhammed Speaks On Ayodhya Ram Mandir

In a special conversation with India.com, Archaeologist KK Muhammed said that just as Mecca-Medina is important for Muslims, similarly their temples are also important for Hindus. He has made a request to the Muslims to light a lamp at their homes on Jan 22.

New Delhi: The grand temple of Lord Ram in Ram’s city Ayodhya is ready for inauguration and on January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will consecrate Ram Lalla. Today, the dream of Ram Mandir is coming true and there are many important characters behind it. One such name is Padma Shri Dr KK Muhammed, former director of the Archaeological Survey of India, who was involved in the excavation of the disputed structure. In the year 1990, KK had publicly said that evidence of Ram temple had been found in the excavations. There was some uproar due to his statement that there was a crisis in the job.

KK Muhammed reveals that the incident is from 1990 when he had given this statement, which was the truth. He said that whatever was found from the Ayodhya temple during the excavation at that time, wrong statements about the same were given by the Marxist historians. They had said that no material related to the temple was found in the excavation done in the temple under the leadership of archaeologist B.B. Lal Braj Basi Lal. Technically me giving the statement was both wrong and right. Excerpts from the conversation…

When most of the historians of that time were against Professor BB Lal, did you stand with him? What happened at that time?

We cannot say anything against but yes, sometimes we are not able to speak the truth because government jobs also have their own rules and regulations. Prof BB Lal proved the so-called Marxist historians wrong and said that out loud. We have found many related materials during the excavation of the temple and there was a temple below the mosque; many people did not agree with his statement but I supported him because it was the truth. I said that we have found many things during the excavation from the temple. All the rival teams of Aligarh University and JNU, none of them are archaeologists, they are only historians. None of them know anything and at that time no one had visited the site and seen anything. This is just their own opinion which is wrong.

I had said – As much as Mecca and Medina are important for Muslims, the birthplace of Shri Ram is equally important for Hindus. Therefore, Muslims themselves should come forward to build a temple here. People who were opposing the temple unnecessarily used to write anything in English newspaper and because no one answered it, people accepted it as the truth. Due to this statement of mine, all of them stopped talking and this was the first time that he had received a befitting reply. After this he could not say anything further.

The technology in that time was not as modern. How did you begin excavation and what were the earliest signs of the mandir that you found?

One thing I want to first clear is that the excavation that was done in 1977 was done under the leadership of historian Professor BB Lal and I was in his team. At that time, when we went inside the mosque, we saw that all the pillars there appeared to us like the pillars built in the temple. There were Ashtamangal symbols in them. In Hinduism, Ashtamangal symbol is considered a sacred group of eight auspicious signs or symbols and there is a Purna Kalash in it. According to Hindu religion, you can honor any Acharya or great sage and saint not by welcoming them with any garland or flowers but by giving them a complete Kumbh. We found this complete Kalash in Ayodhya temple. There we also found works of some gods and goddesses. An attempt was also made to take them out.

During the excavation, Prof Lal noticed that the bases which were made to strengthen the pillars had also started coming out from there. Many sculptures which can be found only in a temple were also found there. It was clear from this that earlier there was a temple here and then a mosque was built on top of it. This was the time of 1976-77. We told what was true and at that very moment, I stood in support of BB Lal. However, as a government servant, I should not have made any statement.

But being an archaeologist I had to do this. Since I made such a statement despite being a Muslim archaeologist, it created a controversy. I could have been fired from the job at that time because my probation period had not been completed, so, I could have been fired without notice. But I was just transferred from Madras to Goa. No major action was taken against me, I escaped.

What were the proofs you found during the excavation, that made you believe the existence of a temple and not a mosque?

The signs I just told you were initial and later we got authentic signals. After that the second mining took place, which was done under the leadership of archaeologist BN Mani. This mining took place after the intervention of Allahabad High Court and we found a lot in this excavation. In this, we started finding broken bases of more than 50 pillars. This was indeed a very big temple. We started getting many materials related to the temple. We found the Amalaka (which usually has ridges on the rim that sit on top of the shikhara or main tower of a Hindu temple) from there and we also got Abhishek Paranala from there. These can never be found in a mosque. Apart from this, we found an inscription, in which it was clearly written that it is dedicated to Mahavishnu who had killed Bali. Then they say who killed the man with 10 heads. A magistrate was also appointed to look at all this evidence. The result of this excavation is in front of you.

You have been responsible for the reconstruction of many temples. How has your experience been and despite being a Muslim, what were your feelings about the same?

See, archaeologists do not have any caste or religion. Whatever you get and whatever will happen at the excavation, it will be told as it is, it will be the truth. I have rebuilt more than 120 temples and very few people would have been able to do so much work. Whenever I work, one thing remains in my heart and mind that when Muslims came to India, they destroyed many temples. That was a time. It was the 12th century. He made mistakes. I realize that he has done wrong. Now God has given me a chance to repent. Mistakes were made. I agree. But now these mistakes should not be repeated. Neither from the Hindus nor from the Muslims. We should always take lessons from history.

I always tell Muslims that like the birthplace of Shri Ram became Ayodhya Muslims should also leave the place of Lord Krishna’s temple. Just as Mecca and Medina are important for Muslims, similarly their temples are also important for Hindus. Muslims should understand that India is a secular country and they should also compromise at many places.

A grand temple for Lord Rama is being constructed after the decision of the Supreme Court and PM Modi will be present for its inauguration. What do you have to say to this?

This is a very long fight of the country for 500 years and we were successful in building Ram temple. This is a supreme moment, for my life too. I have got a chance to play a very small role in this fight and I make the same request to Muslims also. They must also embrace this moment and if they are not able to go, then they should join this happiness by lighting a lamp in their homes.