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Military Struggle
The impudent Mughal regime intimidated the indomitable Hindus in all ways. Their beliefs were insulted, Idols desecrated and the temples razed down. In addition to all they had to pay special tax(Jezya) for being infidels. The cows considered sacred were butchered and women were forced to commit Sati to protect themselves from the harassment of invaders. So by all standards the doors of recovery of the Ayodhya temple is sealed like nuclear materials in lead boxes.
Even in these dire situations the faith of Hindus in Sri Rama was so much that they dared Akbars and Aurangazebs by offering prayers at the very mosque constructed by Babur. Foreign travelers Joseph Tieffenthaler, an Austrian Jesuit and Edward Thornton who visited in 18 and 19 centuries recorded that in spite of Mughal attempts to prevent them the Hindus offered prayers at the Masjid courageously.
Marathas who symbolized the resurgence in many ways had a special eye on the sites Ayodhya, Kashi and Prayag. These Marathas who challenged the Mughal under Aurangazeb tried to use war diplomacy to get control of these sites. When the Nawab of Oudh called for Maratha help in 1751 against the Pathans of west Madhav Rao Holkar , the head of Marathas demanded the three sites as a tribute for the victory. Similar demands were made in 1756 when the Nawab again invited Marathas to fight against the afghan invasion. Swami BalaRamacharia disciple of Maheshwarananda by a series of campaigns won control over the Masjid, but was not able to hold on.
In the year 1885 there was eye ball to eye ball clash between the communities over the structure. Muslims under Sunni leader Ghulam Hussian claimed that there had been a mosque in the nearby Hanuman Grahi. As the demand for handover was rejected the Muslims attacked Hanuman Grahi. The Naga Sadhus repulsed the attack and butchered as many as 70 Muslims. Then Amir Ali led a army to wage Jihad against Sadhus. The British intervened and built a railing around the Masjid and hence forced Hindus to offer prayers outside.
So even under the repercussive Mughal rule where they had to choose between ‘the sword’ and ‘the holy Quran’ the resilient Hindus pledged their lives for the cause of Sri Rama. Despite being politically isolated as ‘non believers’ the tolerant Hindus took every opportunity to reclaim the control of Ayodhya temple.
Again in 1912 there were riots over the structure and in 1934 major riots were sparked off by cow slaughter on Bakr-Id festival. The violence that followed claimed few hundred lives. The Hindus indeed thought that a temple at Ayodhya would be symbolic for establishment of Rama Rajya. Imagine the support for establishment if pious Swamijis were to wage a war?
The Military struggle achieved a cumulative point in late 80a and early 90s as the anger within the Hindus for jailing Rama Lala for 37 years between 1949 and 1986 engulfed the entire nation. The Hindus lost their faith in political means, irritated by the never ending judicial process and took law in their hands to achieve a military victory ion the fateful day.
