Mahant Nritya Gopal Das heads the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas—bodies formed to oversee the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He is also the Peethadhishwar of the largest temple of Ayodhya, ‘Shri Maniram Das Ki Chhawni’. He played a major role in the Ram Temple construction movement and is also one of the accused in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case.
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Wiki/Biography
Nritya Gopal Das was born on Saturday, 11 June 1938 (age 82 years; as in 2020) in Kerhala/Kahola village, Mathura, western Uttar Pradesh. In 1953, he joined Lala Ram College, Mathura to study commerce. However, unhappy with the traditional education he received in college, he left his studies midway and went to live in Ayodhya. In Ayodhya, he became the disciple of Mahant Ram Manohar Das, who initiated him into the initiation rites (the giving of a mantra or initiation by a guru to his disciple) and also urged him to learn Sanskrit. Hence, he graduated with a BA (Shastri) degree from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. At the young age of 27, in 1965, he was appointed as Mahant (a religious superior) in a grand ceremony in Ayodhya.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 7″
Hair Colour: White
Eye colour: black
family and caste
He was born in a Brahmin family.
parents and siblings
He was born to Ganga Ram (father) and Ram Devi (mother).
Parents of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das
Relationships and children
Nritya Gopal Das is not married.
controversies
- He was one of the accused in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case. On 30 September 2020, a special CBI court in Lucknow acquitted him and 31 other accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, including veteran BJP leaders LK Advani and MM Joshi. While delivering the verdict in the case, the judge said, there is no conclusive evidence to show that they were involved in the conspiracy. The court also said that the demolition of the Babri Masjid structure was not pre-planned.
In picture: Ram Mandir Trust chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das appears in the CBI court in connection with the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case.
- British-Indian professor Divyesh Anand tells about his personal interview session with Mahanta Das in 2005 in his book “Hindu Nationalism and the Politics of Fear in India”, where he describes the derogatory statement made by Mahanta Das . Here is an excerpt from the book:
During my personal session with Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple movement (personal interview 2005e), an interesting incident occurred. My name and surname do not tell in which caste I am born. Recognizing that I was a non-resident Hindu Indian (a category often seen as a constituency of Hindu nationalism), Das began with a rehearsed story about how Hindus and Muslims are brothers and that if only Muslims If we just give a few mosques, there will be harmony in India. On the advice of a friendly sadhu I emphasized that I belonged to a Brahmin family and Nritya Gopal Das’s tone changed. He became more friendly and open and lamented that not only Muslims but also “neechi jaati log” (lower caste people) had created all the problems. The mere mention of “Brahmin” identity opened up several avenues of discussion with more than half a dozen senior sadhus who work directly with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Facts/General Knowledge
- He took over the chairmanship of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust after the death of the previous chief Mahant Ram Manohar Das in 2003.
- He became the sixth head of ‘Shri Mani Ram Das Cantonment’ after Shri Mani Ram Das Maharaj, who is widely recognized as the ‘Chhoti Cantonment’. The Chhoti Chhawni temple is spread over an area of 25 acres, and is one of the most popular religious sites in Ayodhya, attracting hundreds of pilgrims every day.
Ram Janmabhoomi Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das talking with other saints and sages at Maniram Das Chhawni Temple in Ayodhya.
- He has helped in the construction of many temples in Ayodhya. Some of the prominent ones are Ramayana Bhawan, Shri Ranganath Temple and Shri Char Dham Temple.
- Mahant Das has been given Z level security.
- Religious leader Nritya Gopal Das was strongly associated with the movement to build a Ram temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi.
RSS pracharak and businessman Siyaram Gupta handing over a check of Rs 1 crore as donation for the construction of the temple to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas Chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das (C)
- In 2016, he warned the BJP government that if it did not resolve the Ram Temple construction issue, he would be thrown out of governance. He said,
BJP government was formed with the blessings of Lord Ram. Be it at the Center or in the states, the BJP has achieved everything in the name of Lord Ram and if it decides to abandon its commitment to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the party may start counting its days.
- On 5 August 2020, Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Mandir temple trust, was one of the five persons present on the stage for the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan ceremony. He shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, UP Governor Anandiben Patel and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn