Advani's Ayodhya Rath Yatra That Changed The Political Landscape And Face Of Hindutva In India

The 1990 Rath Yatra propelled Lal Krishna Advani as the unwavering face of Hindutva and eventually led the BJP to head the Centre six years later in 1996.

LK Advani addressing a gathering during the Rath Yatra (left); Advani atop the modified Toyota minibus 'chariot'.

Source : Getty Images

The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has finally become a reality for the crores of Hindus across the globe who had been dreaming of Lord Ram's 'return to his rightful place'. But the path to Ram Mandir was not easy. A movement, sparked by a legal plea in 1885 to build the temple, gathered steam in the 1980s and had several incidents that would go down in history as its defining moments. Among them, perhaps LK Advani's Rath Yatra is the highlight as it gathered massive support across the country.