Traditionelle Hindu-Quellen zur Geschichte des Rāmā-Kults in Ayodhyā und ihre Interpretation in der "Rāmajanmabhūmi-Babri Masjid"-Debatte

Abstract In the debate regarding the existence of a temple dedicated to Vishnu’s incarnation Rama at his alleged birthplace (Janmabhümi) in Ayodhya, which was the site of a mosque up until December 6, 1992, both of the main contenders - the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the All India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) - have attempted to back up their respective points of view by reference to Sanskrit and Hindi texts. The article provides a literary-historical survey of the heterogeneous body of texts mentioned by the two parties, and aims to demonstrate that there is no literary evidence from Hindu sources of the existence of a Rama temple at the janmabhümi before the construction of the mosque in 1528. It also examines the different strategies of argumentation employed in the debate.