Timeline of India’s Ayodhya dispute ----------------------------------------- The construction of a long-awaited Hindu temple at the site of a demolished 16th century mosque in northern India is expected to take three-and-a-half years to complete ----------------------------------------- 1528: Babri Mosque built by Mughal emperor Babar at Ayodhya site, claimed by Hindus to be birthplace of their god-king Rama and where earlier temple existed ----------------------------------------- INDIA New Delhi CHINA NEPAL UTTAR PRADESH Ayodhya 200km 125 miles ----------------------------------------- 1853: First recorded instance of religious violence near site ----------------------------------------- 1859: Fence erected to separate Muslim and Hindu areas of worship ----------------------------------------- 1949: Government declares site “disputed” after idols of Rama are found inside mosque ----------------------------------------- 1984: Hindu groups led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) pledge to rebuild temple ----------------------------------------- 1989: VHP lays temple foundations close to mosque ----------------------------------------- 1991: Pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in Uttar Pradesh ----------------------------------------- 1992: VHP and BJP supporters tear down mosque. About 2,000 people die in nationwide rioting ----------------------------------------- 2003: Archaeological survey reports evidence of temple beneath mosque, but Muslims dispute findings ----------------------------------------- 2009: Liberhan Commission blames BJP leaders for role in mosque demolition ----------------------------------------- 2010-11: High Court rules site should be split between religious groups, but Supreme Court suspends verdict following Hindu and Muslim appeals ----------------------------------------- Aug 2019: Supreme Court begins daily hearings on Ayodhya dispute after mediation efforts fail ----------------------------------------- Nov: Supreme Court grants site to Hindu group for building of temple, with separate plot of land for mosque 25km away ----------------------------------------- Aug 5, 2020 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of new temple ----------------------------------------- Proposed design of new Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir (“Rama birthplace temple”) ----------------------------------------- Sources: AP, BBC, Times of India, TV18 Pictures: Getty Images, Wikipedia © GRAPHIC NEWS