In 2001, Saraswati Devi undertook a seven-month 'tapasya' (penance) at Chitrakoot.
In a small corner of Jharkhand's Dhanbad, amidst the coal mines and bustling city life, resides a woman whose life has been intertwined with a promise she made three decades ago. Saraswati Devi, fondly known as 'Mauni Mata,' has spent over 30 years observing a self-imposed vow of silence, a solemn oath she undertook on the day the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya in 1992.
The 85-year-old vowed that she would break her silence the day a grand Ram temple was built on the sacred soil of Ayodhya. Her vow of silence is set to conclude on January 22, the auspicious day of the Ram temple's consecration.
As Saraswati Devi prepares to break her silence, the first words that will escape her lips are anticipated with bated breath. Known as 'Mauni Mata', Saraswati Devi's journey has been one of sacrifice and dedication. A mother of eight, including four daughters, she embraced a life devoted to Lord Ram following the demise of her husband Devkinandan Agarwal in 1986.
The elderly woman lives with her second-eldest son, Nand Lal Agarwal, an official with Bharat Coking Coal Limited. She communicates with her family using sign language and through pen and paper.
Her story began in the turbulent 1990s, an era marked by fervent debates and nationwide movements advocating for the construction of the Ram temple.
In 2001, Saraswati Devi undertook a seven-month 'tapasya' (penance) at Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh, the very place where Lord Ram is believed to have spent a significant part of his exile, as mentioned in the epic Ramayana.
Her spiritual journey took her to Char Dham, Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Tirupati Balaji, Somnath Temple, and Baba Baidyanathdham, among other places.
Now, at the age of 85, Saraswati Devi stands on the precipice of fulfilling her vow.
"My life is over, Ramlalla has called me for Pran Pratistha. My penance and meditation were successful. After 30 years, my vow of silence will be broken with 'Ram Naam'," she wrote.
The grand Ram temple will be inaugurated in Ayodhya on January 22, and the big event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many high-profile ministers, industrialists and celebrities.