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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World

Ayodhya: a history of violence

Ayodhya dispute: A Hindu woman walks past building blocks for a proposed Rama temple
A Hindu woman walks with a child in a courtyard where building blocks for the proposed Rama temple are stacked in Ayodhya Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: October 1990: Indian security forces guard the Babri mosque
October 1990: Indian security forces guard the Babri mosque, closing off the disputed site at the centre of a major religious and political storm. Thousands of people intending to replace the mosque with a Hindu temple were arrested on their way to Ayodhya Photograph: Barbara Walton/AP
Ayodhya dispute: Indian Hindu fundamentalists attack the 16th century Babri Masjid Mosque
6 December 1992: Hindu fundamentalists attack the wall of the 16th-century mosque with iron rods. They believe the mosque was built after an existing temple at the site was destroyed, which Hindus say was built to commemorate the birthplace of Rama
Photograph: Douglas E Curran/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya dispute: 7 December 1992: Hindu fundamentalists celebrate destruction of the mosque
7 December 1992: Hindu fundamentalists shout and wave banners as they celebrate the destruction of the mosque Photograph: Douglas E Curran/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya dispute: 8 December 1992: Paramilitary police position themselves in Ayodhya
8 December 1992: Police position themselves on a hill overlooking the ruins of the mosque. Behind is the temple being built to Rama. Police took control of the disputed site two days after Hindu activists demolished the mosque Photograph: Doug Curran/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya dispute: 5 July 2005: An Indian soldier stands guard near the wreckage of the jeep
5 July 2005: An Indian soldier stands guard near the wreckage of a Jeep used in an attack on Ayodhya Photograph: Pawan Kumar/Reuters
Ayodhya dispute: 6 July 2005: Sadhus, Hindu holy men, shout anti-government slogans
6 July 2005: Sadhus – Hindu holy men – shout anti-government slogans in protest against a terrorist attack on the shrine in Ayodhya. Authorities tightened security at religious monuments across India to prevent sectarian clashes after the attack Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: Indian security personnel arrive as reinforcements into the town of Ayodhya
September 2010: Soldiers arrive at Ayodhya before the court ruling in case of violent protests over the verdict Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: A worker dusts the model of a proposed Rama temple in Ayodhya
September 2010: A worker removes the dust off a model of the proposed Rama temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: A Hindu holy man rides a motorcycle as policemen stand guard on a street
September 2010: A Hindu man rides a motorcycle as police stand guard on the street Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
Ayodhya dispute: Indian schoolchildren hold placards calling for calm and peace
September 2010: Schoolchildren hold placards calling for calm and peace during a rally in a Muslim neighbourhood of Mumbai Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya dispute: A police officer prays as a priest performs rituals at a small temple
September 2010: A police officer offers prayers as a priest performs rituals at a Hindu temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: A paramilitary soldier of the Rapid Action Force patrols
September 2010: A soldier from the Rapid Action Force patrols in an anti-riot vehicle as he passes a Hindu temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Gurinder Osan/AP
Ayodhya dispute: An Indian woman sells flowers to pilgrims on the banks of the Saryu river
September 2010: A woman sells flowers to pilgrims on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya ahead of the verdict on the Babri mosque site Photograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya dispute: Indian Muslims take part in a peace rally in Mumbai, India
September 2010: Muslims take part in a peace rally in Mumbai Photograph: Rajanish Kakade/AP
Ayodhya dispute: Hindu devotees look at pillars for a Ram temple in Ayodhya
September 2010: Hindu devotees look at pillars meant for the construction of the temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya dispute: Indian Hindu holy men outside their residence at a temple in Ayodhya
September 2010: Hindu holy men outside their residence at a temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Mosque Update: Children at a peace rally in Mumbai
September 2010: Indian schoolchildren take part in a rally in Mumbai, India, organised in an appeal to maintain peace amid the verdict of the Babri mosque case Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA
Ayodhya Mosque Update: A family watches a TV news channel in a room in Ayodhya
September 2010: A family watches a TV news channel in a room in Ayodhya Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
Ayodhya Mosque Update: Indian security personnel stand guard at Jama Masjid mosque
September 2010: Indian security personnel stand guard at Jama mosque in New Delhi Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Mosque Update: A boy watches security forces in the northern Indian town of Ayodhya
September 2010: A boy watches security forces patrolling a road in Ayodhya Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
Ayodhya Mosque Update: A paramilitary trooper wearing riot gear stands guard in Ayodhya
September 2010: A paramilitary trooper wearing riot gear stands guard on a road in Ayodhya Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
Ayodhya Mosque Update: Hindu religious student sits for morning prayers in Ayodhya
September 2010: A Hindu student sits for morning prayers in Ayodhya Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya Mosque Update: Indian security personnel in Ayodhya
September 2010: Security personnel look on as a schoolboy walks past on a street in Ayodhya Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: Hindu holy men listen to radio news on the Ayodhya verdict in Mathura
September 2010: Hindu holy men listen to radio news on the Ayodhya verdict in Mathura Photograph: AP
Ayodhya Update: Hindu religious await news on the much anticipated verdict in Ayodhya
September 2010: Hindu religious leaders watch television as they await news of the Ayodhya verdict Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP
Ayodhya Update: Indian lawyers representing various pro-Hindu groups flash v signs
September 2010: Lawyers representing pro-Hindu groups flash victory signs after the Ayodhya verdict in Lucknow Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: A Hindu priest shouts slogans as he celebrates after the hearing
September 2010: A Hindu priest celebrates after hearing the first reports of the Ayodhya verdict Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
Ayodhya Update: Hindus celebrate the court decision in a
September 2010: Hindus celebrate the Ayodhya verdict Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: Sadhus or Hindu holymen hug each other to celebrate in Ayodhya
September 2010: Sadhus – Hindu holy men – hug each other to celebrate after hearing the first reports of the Ayodhya verdict Photograph: Mukesh Gupta/Reuters
Ayodhya Update: Raheema Khatton (R), 93, offers prayers for nationwide peace in Hyderabad
September 2010: Raheema Khatton (right), 93, offers prayers for nationwide peace along with family members in Hyderabad Photograph: Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: An Indian Muslim man reads a newspaper with the high court verdict
October 2010: An Indian Muslim man reads a newspaper with the long-awaited Ayodhya verdict in Hyderabad Photograph: Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: An Indian woman prays amidst stone brickf for the propsed Rama temple
October 2010: An Indian woman prays amid stone bricks for the proposed Rama temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: An Indian woman walks past stone pillers for the proposed Rama temple
October 2010: An Indian woman walks past stone pillars and structures for the proposed Rama temple in Ayodhya Photograph: Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: Hindu nationalists celebrate with fire crackers after Ayodhya verdict
October 2010: Hindu nationalists in Amritsar, India, celebrate the Ayodhya verdict with firecrackers Photograph: AP
Ayodhya Update: Indian Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in Ayodhya
October 2010: Indian Muslims offer prayers at a mosque in Ayodhya Photograph: DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP/Getty Images
Ayodhya Update: Protest against Indian court verdict on Babari Mosque dispute
October 2010: People in Multan, Pakistan, burn an Indian flag as they shout slogans during a protest against the Ayodhya verdict Photograph: Mk Chaudhry/EPA
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