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Unseen photos of how Babri Masjid demolition was planned and executed in 1992

ThePrint's National Photo Editor Praveen Jain documented the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, including a rehearsal on 5 December.

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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:

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

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166 COMMENTS

  1. It’s call communalism and dirt of bullshit inside in the mind of terror govt which has been spreading far back before Independence Day and still BJP RSS are manipulating and filling idiots people mind with dirt of Communalism , hatred , loot and killing.
    Everything has been sold out from supreme court to lawmakers . For all these years no evidences were found but right before 6months of Judgement day all evidence related to Ram Mandir was divulged from the earth, such a dirty politics of this ruling govt.
    Instead of that for all these years it would be great if the sold out CJI and SC would have been given a judgement to build a world class hospital or school but dirty and bullshit govt successfully implemented their shit mind planning.

  2. Sickualrism continue publishing .what a day u choose the print.same pain whn kashmiri pndits were mudered hindus temples were destroyed in kashmir and have been from past 500 years bt yout sickularism wont allow u to post this

  3. Leave it guys, Now Ram Temple is getting ready, thats the only thing that matters to us.
    And all the liberals please instead of thinking of india’s future think about urs. I think that will be beneficial to you.

    And “theprint” – Beta tumse na ho payega..

    Jai Shree Ram

  4. Lol. what else can we expect from “The print”
    Your hate against Hindus gives us more courage to fight against Muslims

    There’s Many more to come

  5. Digging the past, is digging your owngrave, you media….all that has been done. Supreme court has given orders. Appeals also dealt. Suitably. So temple can be built.

  6. Theprint never reasearch about the Kashmiri pandits , Palghar Sadhu Lynching and Many more cases .
    Well no-one can be fooled by your grabage articles so Just go on and publish whatever you want.

    जय भारत
    जय श्रीराम

  7. What are you trying to communicate?That you are a forebearer of Muslim minority or crusader of minorities. I find frankly none had reported the cruel killings of innocent Hindus taking place in Kerala almost daily happening.Probably most Hindu journalists are afraid of death at the hands of jihadis.i am from Kerala and I can vouch what I have stated.it is not that these journalists are genuinely interested in muslims.Muslims are now 19 percent in India as compared to 7 percent at the time of independence.
    Probably you want to preserve these snaps for future Indians to depict how cruel Hindus are.Because hardly any evidence is a available on the death and destruction that took place during Muslim rulers .it is indeed a pity.

  8. Kyun sabko ladwane k liye tule huye ho…editor saab!!!Jis samay in pics ki zarurat thi us samaya pics kahi kho gyi thi kya???

  9. The Print is such a bizarre, minority boot-licking portal, that it has lost all credibility long ago. Now no one takes these Congress and Muslim agents seriously. So stew in your own anger

  10. अमर रहेगी ये गाथा
    कितनों ने दी थी बलिदानी
    तब जा के आयी है राम की सवारी

    जय श्री राम

  11. Why The Print is always publishing such anti-national and communal articles. Do they don’t believe in the supreme court verdicts. However amid of this I want to only say. “Mandir ab nahi banega to kab banega” Jai Shree Ram. Bharat Mata Ki Jai

  12. One day the so called people of India will be in “Indian Taliban” as the RSS is disseminating his ideological propaganda….Be in prison of illiteracy and fanatism and say aloud Jay Shree Ram….

    • Msg on Twitter by Taslima Nasreen today – Can’t live in my country, impossible to live in Pakistan. I only can live in India, if I want to live in the subcontinent. Why India? Because it is not a Muslim-majority country. The truth is, non-Muslim countries are safer for free thinkers, secular humanists, atheists.

  13. Ah yes, the propaganda news again.
    Too bad you’re not considering the atrocities that Hindus had to go through during the rule of the so called “PEACEFUL MUSLIMS”from Mongolia

  14. You could have also posted photographs of hundreds of kar sevaks killed by In discriminate firing. Your article is just to provoke people nothing more. You also forgot that this is India , and Ram is ideal for all indians, After more than 500 years Lord Ram is getting his place , can you imagine if something like this would have happened in mecca ,or Vatican city.

  15. I dont know uss zamane mein itni HD pics kahan se aayi… Aaisi pics agr SC mein peesh hoojati toh shayad print walon ko itna kasht na krna pdta ye article likhne krne mein

  16. I wish there were cameras back then when many Muslims demolished our Hindu temples. Keep crying and we ll do what is right. If you think you can do anything to hindus and they ll just bare it, you are mistaken. Ayodhya is our pride, when you hit on it, it’s obvious you ll have this reaction. We have suffered and are still very patient with it. Stop playing minority card. I live in Muslim majority area and none of them lack in anything. So stop complaining and move on.

  17. The print is working on left wing agenda and this is the proof so go bloody hell with your ideology and go to your father Babar’s place this is India not Pakistan

  18. Why these photos are published now? Is their any ulterior motive? The archeological findings are that the mosque was built on the Ram temple. You do not have photos of the same. It is a question of publishing it even if you had it. Do not try to create any sympathy at the cost of the majority Hindus. If you have the photos of burning down the Kar sevaks in Gujrat, please publish the same. Let people come to know the truth. But for the demolition the Truth would not have come out. There are several such structures in the country which were built on the site of Hindu temples. Can you help us to scoop the history and find them out. We are sure you won’t.

    • ?जय श्री राम?

      इतनी एतिहासिक तस्वीरों को दिखाने के लिए आप का आभार

      यह याद दिलाता है कि कितना भव्य था वो दिन जब ये भगीरथ कार्य हुआ था ??

    • The greatest proof that Ram existed is that in over 55 countries people consider ram as a historical part of their culture. If ram was a myth?? Then millions of people would not have taken him as a historical character……

      NASA has proved that the Ram Setu is a manmade Bridge and world’s first bridge so they named it as adam’s bridge…. But the ramayan clearly states how the bridge was made and by whom……

      The places mentioned in Valmiki ramayan are even today and the geographical description matches even today on the ground…… Now how is it possible for a sage (valmiki) to travel from North Bharat to South Bharat and then write an epic on it….. Even the Island of JAVA ( Indonesia) is mentioned in ramayan….. So don’t argue without reading about the topic which you are blindly arguing on……

  19. Praveen Jain and Shekhar Gupta were waiting for today to publish these 28 years old pictures to get their two penny worth of journalism. Shame.

    • Amazing response. Do you even realise that it is job of photog to capture national events? This same photog has also captured the 1984 anti-Sikh riots with the same objectivity. And a lot of these pics – or at least versions of them – have been around since 1992!

  20. well please get some paintings commissioned of when temples were razed to make way for mosques. This is reversing an injustice done a long time ago.

    out of thousands of such temples is it wrong to restore just one. I was appalled that this much struggle needed to happen. it was a minor mosque for the minority but one of the most sacred places for the majority. Infact muslims should have helped in constructing this temple as welcoming brothers. Alas the leadership and vote bank politics lead them astray.

  21. Jai shri ram
    Shame on you print, scroll, Wire and quint like media houses and propagandistic journalists like you deserve to riot in hell , illiterate politics and fakeness of your secularists, communist and liberals talking about equality in india, where is our peaceful community talking about hospital and schools I suggest mental hospital to those people. You prople are not tolerant at all. but expecting Hindus to toltolerance in each and every time this is hinduphobian activities you journalists and so called peaceful community campaign around the world and creating fake image that’s all.
    This is true colour of this jihadis in our country ??
    They are openely threatening that situation wont last forever??
    Aur bano secular? , jo jihadi supreme court k decision ki respect nai karte , vo hinduo ka bhala kya chahenge..?
    Inke lie sirf inka religion n sharia matter karta h????

    • Dear bro when did supreme court said these leaders are innocent… its lucknow court who sets this verdict… and at current india what else are u all expecting

  22. This article shows the kind of philosophy the print has. It was not required today. We’ve already seen these divisive pictures many times . Just to increase your readership this crappy article. Wake up Shekhar Gupta otherwise you will lose many valuable readers.

  23. such a shame on print, instead of supporting harmony and integrity , publishing such sensitive srticles and pictures at this time

  24. Thousands of temples have been demolished all over India thanks to màny historical events. One mosque is demolished and so many tears from fake liberals like you. It is plain law of nature and Karma. What you have done to others will be done to you!

  25. Ram mandir is just a start. The Print will now have more news to cover as very soon all the mosques which are build on Hindu temples will have the same fate.
    Just wait and watch.

    This is what the invaders will get by destroying the temples build by our ancestors.

    Keep on publishing these news and spread your narrative. More to come.

  26. Well, what in the name of Babur is to be remembered? Gain some knowledge on how Babur was only a cruel person and nothing else. And coming to the demolition of Babri Masjid, it’s good that it happened and now we’re establishing Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the birth place of Lord Ram. Shri Ram was called Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram for a very good reason. You have all the reasons in the world to follow such a great Victorious Hero! Jai Shree Ram! ?

  27. People…..remember……these are the traitors who destroyed the social democratic fabric of India….and one of them has become prime minister.

    • A K Das you’re the biggest traitor of our great nation. Its not about being anti PM , its all about being anti nation and the national sentiment. Please leave this country. and go where you will be happy. You don’t belong here.

    • Twitter msg of Taslima Nasreen today – Can’t live in my country, impossible to live in Pakistan. I only can live in India, if I want to live in the subcontinent. Why India? Because it is not a Muslim-majority country. The truth is, non-Muslim countries are safer for free thinkers, secular humanists, atheists.

  28. BJP, you can fool all the people part of the time, part of the people all the time, but you can not fool all the people all the time…….now time comes…..you have dig not for ram mandir but grave for whole Indian humanity….God will never forgive you…….if you have dare from your mothers milk ….let’s come face to face you bloody coward….

    • Indian muslims have never been Indian. In 1947 it was they who partition India. For past 70 years they have sham secularism while demanding personal religious laws. They frankly deserve this.

    • Ek masjid ke jagah temple bana toh itna mirchi laga…. Thousands of temples were demolished during Mughal period and mosques were built….!!! So it is our right to claim it back….!!! More temples will be built in removing mosque in future…!!!

    • Not BJP..but as a hindu I and we can give reciprocal reaction to your terrorist act at any time. Don’t worry you start we will finish.

    • When Muslims in Pakistan and Bangladesh demolished hundreds of Hindu temples, you Muslims never spoke a word. No wonder we do not like Muslims. You people are a curse on the human civilisation.

    • Chor-Chor mausere bhai…..if u think….u r happy to do that….then u r leaving in dream….respected POLITICIANS of India. Always remember…..Insan ki saza se badhkar(infinite) Allah ki taraf se saza hoti h…tumhen kya khouf hogi….tum to pehle se gumrah ho. Masjid Allah ka ghar h…..jahan farishton ka basera hota h….jahan masjid ni hoti…..azaan ki awaaz ni ati wahan Shaitan ka basera hota h…..jahan Shaitan hoga wahan barbadi honi hi h…be alert.
      Ya Allah pak hamari desh ke logon k dilon me imaan de…hamare desh ko gumrah karne wale logon se aur gumrahi k raste se mehfuz rakh..ameen

      • Tum logo ka DNA kaharab hai isme tumhara koi kasoor nahi.
        Islam k alava bhi bht kuch hai duniya mai par tum logo kuch na dikhai deta na sunai deta.
        Print valo se bhi yahi expectation thi k ye log aaj aag lagane ki koshish karenge

    • You muslim your Arabi stooge you cowards want face to face, you barbarians are only capable for terrorists attack. You can’t fight a war (1971) is prime example. You can only do terrorist attack or do backstabbing.

    • Extremely Happy to see these pictures, good photography. Sad event for urban nakaslite and communist, obviously other community which are like anti national.?????

    • This is the only civilization that has endured and withstood centuries of genocidal attack from two of the most virulent proselytizing religions world has even see. It stood like a bulwark between these religions and rest of the world on the East. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Inca, Mayan and all other great civilizations were run over by these two Abrahamic faiths. You might want to consider these facts before splewing further venom.

  29. Doing this to a minority was unbrave and non ethical. Yet the guilt is muslim haters have convinced the hindus ( the majority) is threatened
    I don’t know how devastation this mentality will bring to india and set back progress……
    A HINDU

    • No muslim complained when Hindu temples were burnt. No hindu complained too, they endured it. But now, they have a problem even after being alloted land to build another mosque. How is this silencing minority? This is all drama. If Musliks can have their own mecca, Indians can have their own main temple too.

    • Are bhai minority bolte bolte majority ban gaye ye log… Apne bookish facts padhke idhr bhonko mat thoda realistic bano. India is a land of hindu culture and religion. Ye invasions ke baad sab religions aaye yaha humne kuch nahi bola, tolerance ki limit hoti hai! Get your facts right.

  30. What is that theprint wants to achieve by showing this kind images today? Did theprint publish these images when judgement was passed?

    Showing images of of context without views from both sides and simply highlighting demolition is a very bad journalism and reporting by theprint and it’s editor

  31. Shameful, despicable, a blot on Indian cultural ethos. And on top of that the Supreme Court of BJP rewarded these criminal marauders and now the CJI is enjoying his RS seat for this favor. It can’t get any shameful than this.

    • I empathize with your anguish. My ancestors would have gone thru the same pain when the Temple was demolished. I also fully understand that a wrong done 500 years back cannot be corrected now. 1000s of similar Temples have been demolished and replaced with Mosques and we are not trying to correct everything. But then, this is not any normal site and not any ordinary Temple. The fight to get this piece of land back has been ongoing from 1500’s not just post 1947. I hope and request you to reciprocate our feelings too.

      • I pity your ignorance. Just to let you know, my ancestors went through worse when wicked Aryans like you devoured them. We have been waiting for 5000 years to get justice and we will. I hope and request you to reciprocate our feelings too.

        You can read here how your wicked ancestors destroyed us:
        https://pastebin.com/LTGg5aWz

        • Bogus theories which can’t be proved. You Fool idiot who is aryan or dravidian, we don’t find this word anywhere in our history. Most of this is bs fake Marxist theories. Even genetic results, and ground facts doesn’t validate it.

          • Ignorant IdI0TS like “Rajvir Singh” have bothered to learn only RSS History and nothing else. Those Shaka-educated professors have cleverly wiped out Dravidian History from India just as how their wicked ancestors tried to wipe out Dravidian ethnicity from India. No wonder F00LS like “Rajvir Singh” are so ill informed. It is a well known fact that dark-skinned Indians have 90%+ Dravidian DNA. There have been numerous excavations in South India and also in North India proving the existence of Dravidians – the most recent one being at Rakhigarhi. M0R0NS like “Rajvir Singh” cannot digest the truth, no wonder his BUM burns…..apply some BURNOL please.

      • The Supreme Court of BJP ruled that no temple was present underneath the structure, so don’t be a blind Bhakt and inform yourself properly.

      • Good imagination!!! Babri masjid wasn’t built upon a mandhir!!! Same had confirmed by the supreme court of india!!!

        • Most Muslims are genetically violent. they are the only minority which terrorises the majority people, wherever they are.

          • If u are a true indian and a real man u won’t say such nasty things…. its not religion who corrupted ur thoughts, its ur sinful mind… better work on it and lead it to the purity of unity.

        • This moment have been awaited from last many decades. Finally moment of joy came but some so called “peaceful people” Need burnol.

      • The feelings for an imaginary god! You say thousands of temples but where are they? Where you there? No so you do not know for sure! A wrong from 500 years ago cannot be resolved by destruction only by committed negotiations! Hindu’s have done a great wrong and a new temple will not resolve the matter!

      • Can u give an example
        Any proof that it was a Mandir your cowardness n lies prove when you placed your lords idols in masjid through a hole dug and claiming to be found under ground shame on you Hindus shame on you

        • First go through the ASI report that has been accepted by the Allahabad High Court. Secondly even if you assume for a minute that the report was incorrect, the fact is Hindus have always believed that Shri Ram was born there. It is matter of faith. And if a mosque has been built on that very spot, it is to humiliate the people who have that belief. So it does not matter if there was a temple or not. Please accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

    • Plz don’t be a member of hindu family go join other religion like muslim, chritian, etc. If you have any problem with our country’s religion.

    • As a senior citizen, I would urge you to save this meltdown for some other time. This is plain revival of Hindu culture and not about any religion superceding other. Narendra Modi is lucky that Ram Mandir could be built during his tenure and not the other way around.

    • I understand the pain here but ur ancestors looted n demolished our temples n built mosques on them…I don’t understand then why would you be frustrated as we took back what belonged to us something which is as old as 6000 years old…

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