It has been over three decades since the Kothari family’s Deepavali was filled with the joy of celebration. For Purnima Kothari, this festival has never been the same since 1990, when her brothers, Ram and Sharad Kothari, lost their lives while performing karseva for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Speaking to Communemag, Purnima shared her pain, still palpable after all these years. “I haven’t celebrated Deepavali since the 90s. This year will be simple as well,” she revealed, her voice heavy with emotion. Her daughter, Yashaswini, will celebrate the festival with friends, while Purnima remains at home, quietly observing the day.
However, January 22, 2024, brought a long-awaited moment of joy for her, as she celebrated Deepavali for the first time in 35 years. “I celebrated when Prabhu Ram finally came to his janmasthaan in Ayodhya. It felt like Deepavali,” Purnima said, recalling the day when she and her daughter lit lamps in Ayodhya, commemorating the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
The last time Purnima celebrated Deepavali with her brothers was in October 1990. Soon after that, Ram and Sharad left for Ayodhya to participate in karseva, promising to return in time for her wedding in December. Purnima, only 19 years old then, wanted to accompany them, but her brothers insisted she stay back to care for their parents.
Their journey to Ayodhya was perilous, as Uttar Pradesh, under the leadership of then Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, imposed strict restrictions, cancelling train and bus services, setting up barricades, and enforcing a curfew. The determined karsevaks, including the Kothari brothers, took alternate routes through forests and rivers to reach Ayodhya.
On October 30, 1990, after a sadhu seized a police vehicle and used it to breach the barricades, Sharad Kothari made history by climbing onto the Ram Janmabhoomi domes and hoisting the saffron flag. But the triumph was short-lived. The police opened fire on the karsevaks, and many lost their lives. The Kothari brothers sought refuge in a nearby house.
On November 2, the karsevaks, determined to continue their peaceful protest, gathered once more. However, tragedy struck that afternoon. While hiding in a house, Sharad opened the door to what he thought was a fellow karsevak asking for water. It was the police. Sharad was dragged outside and shot in the chest. His elder brother, Ram, rushed out to save him but was shot in the head at point-blank range. Both brothers died on the spot.
Purnima’s world crumbled. She immediately called off her wedding and threw herself into the same cause her brothers had died for, participating in every karseva with her parents until the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. “My life changed overnight. I still can’t believe how everything turned upside down,” she added.
Her parents never regretted letting their sons go for karseva, staying fiercely proud until their last days that Ram and Sharad had sacrificed their lives for Prabhu Shree Ram. “It was our Sankalp that we would always participate in any karseva at Ram Mandir,” Purnima said.
For years, Purnima had given up hope of seeing the construction of a grand Ram Mandir. “I never thought I would see Prabhu Ram at his janmasthaan in my lifetime. My parents passed away without seeing it. I even doubted whether my brothers’ sacrifice was in vain.”
But that changed in January 2024, when Purnima was among the 7,000 people invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. “I can’t describe my emotions that day. It was divine. Everyone was crying, even the cameramen. I am an ordinary person, but I was sitting with the elite of society, and we were all emotional together.”
Purnima’s presence in Ayodhya wasn’t just as a guest. She and her daughter, Yashaswini, volunteered for 15 days, offering tea and snacks to devotees and police officers under the banner of the ‘Ram Sharad Kothari Smriti Manch.’ This sewa shivir, organised in memory of her brothers, was supported by 80 members of her Kolkata-based organisation.
Despite the sacrifices her family made, Purnima remains grateful for the support of the Hindu community. “People used to invite us and honour us across the country after my brothers died. We have visited Kerala, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and many other states for tribute ceremonies. So many people have prayed for our family.”
Recently, Purnima joined social media with the help of her daughter, who manages her X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts. She realised the continued admiration for her brothers’ sacrifice through this platform. “People insisted that families of Ram Mandir heroes should also be invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony,” she shared.
Purnima is deeply grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for their efforts in realising the dream of the Ram Mandir. “I am so thankful to Modi ji and Yogi ji. It’s one thing to see the temple being built, but it’s another to make it happen without violence or street riots. People don’t realise how significant that is.”
As she reflects on the political landscape, Purnima expresses her frustration with leaders who question Lord Ram’s existence for political gain. “I don’t understand how people prioritise politics over their deities. How can anyone say vile things about Prabhu Ram, especially in Southern India, where Ramayan holds so much significance?”
Despite her pain, Purnima is proud that her daughter, Yashaswini, shares the same devotion to the Ram Mandir cause. “She proudly told her friends about attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, and they were delighted for her. I’m proud of her commitment to the Ram Mandir,” Purnima said, her voice brimming with pride.
As Purnima prepares for yet another quiet Deepavali, her thoughts are filled with the memories of her brothers and the monumental achievement she witnessed this year. For her, this Deepavali may be silent, but her heart is finally at peace.
(This report is based on an exclusive interview by The Communemag)
