Re-dedication of Ramna Kali Bari Mandir (Temple) of
Our Black Mother Kali
Sabyasachi Ghosh Dastidar
Ramna Kali Bari Temple Before Destruction by the Army of Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Source: Internet)
Indian President Sri Kovind Dedicating the New Mandir (Source: Media)
On December 16, 2021, on
the day of 50th Anniversary of Bangladesh independence and commemoration
of Pakistani-Islamist genocide of Hindus in particular, and secular Muslim Bengalis,
Sri Ram Nath Kovind, the Indian President, dedicated the newly rebuilt ancient
Ramna Kali Bari destroyed by the Army of Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1971, rebuilt
by the Bangladesh Government of Sheikh Hashina Wazed with funds from Indian
Government. Thanks a million. This is for the cause of political, human and
cultural rights of an oppressed people and in memory of innocent people, in
this case Hindus, murdered.
The New Mandir (top) and Dedication Puja Ceremony (Source: Media)
In one of the most historic, ancient and spiritual center of Subcontinental, Indian, Bengali, Bangladeshi, and Hindu or Sanatan religion is the Ramna Kali Mandir of Dhaka. Bangladesh. It is located at the heart of Dhaka City. Locals often refer the mandir to be 900+ years old to “only a several hundred years” old. Thus it points to an indigenous era before Islam entered the land. It must be one of the oldest Subcontinent temple dedicated to the evil-destroyer Black Mother Kali. During British Colonialism, a park was established around the temple known as Ramna Udyan or Park, after the Ramna Kali Bari with a horse racing stadium. In traditional Bengali culture shrines of Mothers – Sri Durga, Sri Kali or Sri Lakshmi, and others, as well of Fathers like Sri Shiva, Sri Bishnu, and others, are often referred as Bari or Home of that deity just as we call “home” where we reside.
Before the planned destruction Ramna was a place of pilgrimage including meditation, relaxation, as is often the case with many shrines - Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, and others. It was also a home for many poor people who lived in the area of the shrine. Adjacent to the mandir, Ma Anandamoyee ashram was located for the poor and believers, irrespective of status or religion, although most of the residents were poor, and many from oppressed Hindu groups. It was also common for Muslims to visit, and if needed, find friendship, shelter and food. The park has been a place for meeting, celebration and demonstration, including that of the Father of Bangladesh who gave his famous independence speech from a nearby platform.
From the very beginning of the Pakistani genocide they targeted all its Hindu minority for extermination starting with Hindu student dormitory of Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, and the shrine, the poor residents, priests, priestesses of Ramna Kali Temple. Many books and articles have been written on that brutal mass killing with torture, including burning many Hindus alive, lot more brutal than lynching and burning of a non-believer in Sialkot, Pakistan in December of 2021, thus not needing any elaboration here. It is also worth mentioning that not only Islamic Republic of Pakistan, but not a single Muslim-majority nation condemned the destruction and mass killing at Ramna and that of the 1971 genocide, except Bangladesh. There are videos available in YouTube and the Internet. It is difficult to comprehend. Western democracies and the U.N. did not engage in prosecuting mass murderers.
Title: 1971 Independence War & Sri Sri Ramna Kali Mandir & Sri Ma Anandamoyee Ashram by Ashok Kumar Ghosh
(Firma KLM Publishing, Kolkata, India; 2008)
See YouTube: Ramna Kali Mandirer GanaHatyar HridaiBidayak Galpo (Ramna Kali Mandir’s Mass Murder Heartbreaking Story) by Bangladesh Agnibir https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=FgsNBpQreU0&t=84s
In early 1980s I was taken there by a young man Swapan, a Hindu-minority, assistant of Bangladesh Parliamentarian during my visit to Dhaka City when the blessed site was completely razed by the newly independent secular Bangladesh government. The shrine sat next to a pond with steps for ritual bath, as is the case of Hindu shrines. It also provided water needed to offer to the Mother and deities. Accidentally we met one young Rahman, a Muslim groundskeeper, who asked me to offer flower and the top 3-leaves of the grass called “durba” to the Mother in the site of nonexistent shrine. I followed Rahman’s instruction by picking up wild flowers and the top 3-leaves of the grass next to the razed site. We also brought water from the pond in our hand cups for our Mother and Father, although Pakistan Army deliberately destroyed the ghat or steps to the pond.
To every Bangladeshi that I know – Muslim or Hindu – it was a mystery as to why the secular Prime Minister, the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, bulldozed remains of the destroyed shrine where the Pakistan Army brutally murdered, as well as burned alive many Hindus. Not one Pakistani soldier has been held responsible for the mass killing. Someone sent me a picture of post-destruction and pre-clearance site with notes on Facebook of Meghna Guha Thakurta of Dhaka City giving us an idea as to how it looked immediately after the destruction.
From Meghna
Guha Thakurta on Facebook
"A Historic picture!!
Standing on the ruins of Ramna Kalibari in January 1972, just after the
Pakistan Army razed it to the ground. After independence someone put ghot (
vessel) and flowers on the bedi ( base) for worshiping what was still regarded
as sacred to them. Isn't it amazing how a whole country fought against
injustices like this? Where are all the sons and daughters of these freedom
fighters when Hindus and other minorities still flee this land which they
consider sacred.
Photo credit goes to my mother Basanti Guhathakurta. I am here photographed
with our friend who came to visit us from Germany and hence we could take a
colour photograph of this moment by using his camera."
In early 1990s one Mrs. RoyChowdhury whom we called Mashi or Maternal Aunt, whose husband was one of the very few Hindu minorities in Pakistan bureaucracy told me while visiting New York City that she told the Bangladesh Father of the Nation that she had a dream (nightmare) where Mother Kali told her that unless the rulers rebuilt the shrine, they will face unusual consequence. Unfortunately, the Father of the Nation and his family of three generations were murdered by a pro-Pakistan military gang in 1975. Then came a military dictator Gen. Zia. When Aunt met President Zia, she shared her nightmare. Unfortunately, Mr. Zia too was murdered by another military man. Down the road when she met the next military dictator Gen. Ershad, this time her husband pulled her out of the room and told her not to share her nightmare. Mr. Ershad survived and formed a party when he was evicted from power and later dying of natural cause. Aunt Mashi’s dream finally became reality on December 16, 2021.
After independence, a commission led by Dr. S. A. Malek, a Muslim, investigated the mass killing that is available online and in many books. Right next to the former mandir (temple) a memorial tablet lists about 100 names, men and women, poor and dirt-poor, murdered by the Pakistan Army. The report mentions that there may be additional victims who the Commission couldn’t identify. Even the pet cows were brutally killed to desecrate the place. There is more horrible information. (Details are available in the books listed above.)
Memorial Tablet for the Brutally Massacred and Burnt Alive at Ramna (Picture: Author)
Since early 1990s there were attempts by local Hindus to recapture the site and rebuild the shrine. They started to celebrate Fall Puja festivals of Mothers, Durga and Kali, though those were “officially” illegal. And some groups built temporary “pandals’ or celebratory tents, but didn’t want to remove their tents after Bisarjan or Immersion Ceremony.
A “Temporary” Puja (Celebration) Pandal in 2000s (Picture: Author)
From news reports, we learned that Government of India, led by Prime Minister Modi, donated over 60 million rupees to rebuilt the shrine. For a poor India, it is a big sum. We are grateful for that. I hope it is a small part of rebuilding cost. I thank the current Prime Minister Wazed’s Administration of Bangladesh. I am shocked that the world couldn’t make Pakistan rebuild the shrine, compensate the victims’ families and punish the killers. Yet, I am also saddened, dismayed and disheartened as to why successive Bangladesh governments couldn’t rebuilt the shrine, as well as why the Bengali-majority governments of West Bengal and Tripura states of India, especially when they have been run by East Bengali-Pakistani-Bangladeshi-Hindu-Refugee Indians, did not rebuilt the shrine. A Dhaka native Mr. Jyoti Basu ran the West Bengal State Government for three decades, raising funds for distant lands, and spending tons of money for erecting a statue of Lenin in the heart of Kolkata, but could not rebuilt the shrine in his home district of his homeland?
Congratulations and Best Wishes to devotees of Ramna and Bangladesh! Joi Bangla and Joi Ramna Kali Mandir!
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