Bricks bearing the inscription ‘Shri Ram’ were brought to Ayodhya from a village on the Delhi-Haryana border, for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

By PRAVEEN JAIN 

The Covid-19 crisis in India is still escalating, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to lay the foundation stone for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in a bhoomi pujan ceremony Wednesday afternoon. He is supposed to lay a 22-kg silver brick to symbolise the start of construction.

After decades of dispute, the 2.77 acre piece of land in Ayodhya was allotted by the Supreme Court to the Hindus in November 2019.

Nearly 28 years ago, on 5 December 1992, ThePrint’s National Photo Editor, Praveen Jain, was in Ayodhya when he received a scoop from a BJP parliamentarian about how kar sevaks were rehearsing the demolition of the Babri Masjid that stood on that piece of land, and a blow-by-blow account of how incidents were going to unfold the next day, when the mosque was brought down.

Jain documented the series of events leading up to and including the demolition in his film camera. Here are some unseen images:

Jain documented the series of events leading up to and including the demolition in his film camera. Here are some unseen images:

The foundation ceremony had taken place at a 2.77 acre land acquired by the ruling Kalyan Singh government | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
In July 1992, the foundation stone-laying ceremony (shilanyas) had taken place at the 2.77-acre plot of land acquired by Kalyan Singh’s BJP government in UP | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
In July 1992, Karsevaks had gathered for a foundation laying ceremony of the proposed main gate Singhdwar at then disputed land of Babri Masjid | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kar sevaks had gathered for a foundation stone-laying ceremony of the proposed main gate ‘Singhdwar’ at disputed site where the Babri Masjid stood | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Human bones were found on the acquired land that was being leveled and prepared for foundation in July 1992. This land was registered as Muslim graveyard in revenue records | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Human bones were found on the land that was being levelled and prepared in July 1992. The land was registered as a Muslim graveyard in revenue records | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 3 December, former HRD minister Arjun Singh calls then PM P. V. Narasimha Rao from a local phone booth at New Delhi railway station before leaving for Lucknow. He was going there to watch the situation in Ayodhya | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Then-Union HRD minister Arjun Singh calls then-PM P.V. Narasimha Rao from a phone booth at New Delhi railway station before leaving for Lucknow on 3 December 1992. He was headed there to monitor the situation in Ayodhya | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 5 December, a Kar Sevak wrote 'Rakt denge Pran denge' on a wall before the Babri Masjid demolition at the site | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 5 December, a kar sevak writes ‘Rakt denge, pran denge’ (we will give blood, we will give our lives) on a wall, a day before the demolition of the Babri Masjid | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Uttar Pradesh policeman along with the Kar Sevaks shouted slogan 'Jai Shri Ram' on 5 December, the rehearsal day| Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Amid a rehearsal a day before the actual demolition, an Uttar Pradesh policeman joins kar sevaks in shouting slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’, which came to be associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kar Sevaks stand in queue with tools on 5th of December before the Babri Masjid demolition | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kar sevaks queue up with hammers and pickaxes on 5 December 1992 | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
A man hiding his face instructs Kar Sevaks on the rehearsal day (5th December) | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
A man, with his face covered, instructs kar sevaks during the rehearsal | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The night before the demolition | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The night before the demolition of the Babri Masjid | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kar Sevaks bringing sand and water for proposed kar Seva allowed by the Supreme Court on 6 December morning | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 6 December, kar sevaks bring sand and water from the Sarayu River, for the symbolic kar seva allowed by the Supreme Court | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 6 December 1992 morning, before the demolition, veteran leader L.K. Advani at a meeting with temple movement leaders | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
The morning of the demolition, BJP leader L.K. Advani meets leaders of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
During the demolition a lot of leaders where present at the site. In this picture ( from left to right) BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, L.K. Advani, Vijaya Raje Shindia, watching demolition on December 6 at Ram Katha Kunj | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
When the Babri Masjid was being demolished, many BJP leaders were at the site. Pictured here (from left): Murli Manohar Joshi, then-president of the BJP, L.K. Advani and Vijayaraje Scindia | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
At the Ram Katha Kunj Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal meets current Defence minister Rajnath Singh (at the left corner) | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
At the Ram Katha Kunj, Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal (standing) and Uma Bharti (standing behind to his right) meet Rajnath Singh (sitting nearest the camera) | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
On 6 December, Kar Sevaks demolished the Babri Masjid | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Kar sevaks demolishing the Babri Masjid | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
After the Masjid was demolished L.K. Advani came back to Delhi, where he was hugged by wife Kamla Advani and at the right PM Narendra Modi welcomed him | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint
Advani during his arrest in New Delhi. To his right is wife Kamla Advani and, in front, Narendra Modi  | Photo: Praveen Jain | ThePrint

This story was first appeared on theprint.in