The disputed holy site of Ayodhya in northern India should be given to

Hindus who want a temple built there, the country's Supreme Court has
ruled.

The case, which has been bitterly contested for decades by Hindus and Muslims,
centres on the ownership of the land in Uttar Pradesh state.

Muslims would get another plot of land to construct a mosque, the court said.

Many Hindus believe the site is the birthplace of one of their most revered deities,
Lord Ram.

Muslims say they have worshipped there for generations.

 Ayodhya verdict: The man who represented a Hindu God
 The complex history of India's Ayodhya holy site

At the centre of the row is the 16th Century Babri mosque which was demolished
by Hindu mobs in 1992, sparking riots that killed nearly 2,000 people.

What did the court say?

In the unanimous verdict, the court said that a report by the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) provided evidence that the remains of a building "that was not
Islamic" was beneath the structure of the demolished Babri mosque.

The court said that, given all the evidence presented, it had determined that the
disputed land should be given to Hindus for a temple to Lord Ram, while Muslims
would be given land elsewhere to construct a mosque.

It then directed the federal government to set up a trust to manage and oversee the
construction of the temple.

However, the court added that the demolition of the Babri mosque was against the
rule of law.

What has the reaction to the verdict been?

Despite warnings by authorities not to celebrate the verdict, BBC correspondents in
court say they heard chants of "Jai Shree Ram" (Hail Lord Ram) outside as the
judgement was pronounced.

"It's a very balanced judgement and it is a victory for people of India," a lawyer for
one of the Hindu parties told reporters soon after.
Initially, a representative for the Muslim litigants said they were not satisfied and
would decide whether to ask for a review after they had read the whole judgement.

However, the main group of litigants has now said that it will not appeal against the
verdict.

Outside the court, the situation has been largely calm.

Hundreds of people were detained in Ayodhya on Friday ahead of the verdict, amid
fears of violence.

Thousands of police officers have also been deployed in the city, while shops and
colleges have been shut until Monday.

The government issued an order banning the publication of images of the

destruction of the Babri mosque.

Social media platforms are being monitored for inflammatory content, with police
even replying to tweets and asking users to delete them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the verdict on Twitter and said that it
should not be seen as a "win or loss for anybody".

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@narendramodi@NARENDRAMODI
Report
What was arguably one of the world's most contentious property dispute has finally
come to an end.

The dispute over the plot has polarised, frustrated and exhausted India.