Chattisgarh is witnessing beautiful moments when the Ram Temple, which was closed due to the threat of Naxals, will be opened after 21 years. A wait of two decades. Vanavasi village of Sukma, which was closed by Naxal terrorists 21 years ago, has opened an ancient Ram temple. The temple was opened and worshiped by the villagers with the support of CRPF jawans in Keralapenda village of Sukma district. They regained their freedom of worship by offering flowers and performing aarti to the idols of Sri Ramasita Lakshmana. Temple worship was banned in 2003 in Kerala Penda, which has been a base for Naxal terrorists. Since then, the prayerful waiting of the forest dwellers was realized last day
Just as devotees’ wait of nearly 500 years for the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya has come to an end, so has the 21-year wait of a village in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal insurgency-hit Sukma district. The Sri Rama temple, which was locked by the communist terrorists (Naxals) for more than two decades, was opened today for the locals under the leadership of the CRPF team. The security forces reopened the temple in Keralapenda village, which was closed 21 years ago due to the Naxal threat, after the 74th battalion of the CRPF camp was established in the area. In 2003, the Ram temple was closed due to Naxal threats near Lakhapal, Kerlapenda village.
The temple was built in 1970 by Bihari Maharaj. According to information received from the villagers, the villagers traveled 80 km on foot to bring the necessary materials for the construction. At the time of construction of the temple, the area lacked road connectivity and adequate transport facilities. Out of devotion to Rama, villagers traveled long distances on foot to bring building materials. According to local residents, many of them gave up consumption of meat and alcohol (including mahua liquor) after the temple was established. Due to their religious beliefs and habits, the people of the village kept away from even violence. This is what angered the Naxals. Naxals banned worship at the temple in 2003 due to lack of village support for attacks.
Soldiers conducted a health check-up camp for the villagers in the temple premises. The area has been cleared. Along with soldiers, Sukma police and villagers participated in the cleanup. What followed was an end to the wait. After 21 years, the shrine was opened. Villagers came together and performed social prayer and bhajan. One more thing left. They also put that in front of the military officers. The temple should be renovated. CRPF officials have assured that the temple restoration work will also start soon.
