It started with a casual question. The Supreme Court said that they were wondering if “anyone from the ‘Raghuvansha’ dynasty is still living there [in Ayodhya].” The question was just out of curiosity, coming from a five-judge constitution bench during the ongoing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case.
The disputed land in Ayodhya has been at the centre of contention in India for decades. The land is traditionally regarded by Hindus as the birthplace of Lord Ram, but was also the site of Babri Masjid, a mosque which was destroyed in a riot in 1992. The case now regards rightful ownership of the land and continues to be dealt with on a daily basis by the Supreme Court.
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But that casual question got some serious answers in return. Former royal families in Rajasthan are claiming to be direct descendants of Lord Ram, who was a part of the Raghuvansha dynasty at hand.
Diya Kumari, a BJP MP who is also a member of the former Jaipur royal family, took to Twitter on August 10, to say that Ram’s descendants live all across the world. In her tweet, she said that these people do exist, and that includes her family who is “descended from his son Kush.” She also declared that she is willing to provide proof with documents. She has since retweeted dozens of articles concerning her alleged lineage.
“If the Supreme Court wants, we can show the documents,” she told India Today. “I want that the Ram temple be built as soon as possible and if it is required to expedite the process, we can show documents in front of the Supreme Court.”
Kumari also said that her statement comes without any ulterior motive, especially when it comes to claiming land in Ayodhya. “I am not saying this for any motive. We have no claim to the title or land at the disputed site,” she said.
According to NDTV, the genealogical document of Kumari’s family shows that Lord Ram is 63rd in her family tree. His father, King Dashrath, appears at number 62. Other members and rulers from the Jaipur royal family appear later in the document.
She wasn’t the only one to make this claim. A day after, Arvind Singh Mewar, a member of the former royal family of Udaipur, tweeted, “It is historically proven that my family is direct descendants of Shree Ram.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, “I am the 232nd descendent of Lord Ram, and as I have said, we are his direct descendants. We are saying that we don’t want any stake in that land in any shape or form but the temple should definitely be constructed there, as it’s a matter of astha (faith).”
