After petitioner Sohan Lal Arya informed that a Shivling was found inside the complex of the disputed Gyanvapi structure, a Varanasi court Monday issued an order that directed authorities to immediately seal the area where the Shivling was found. In its order, the court stated that the Shivling discovery is substantial evidence and asked the CRPF commandant to secure the premises and prevent Muslims from entering the place where Shivling was found.
In the order, the copy of which has been made public, the Varanasi court directed the local administration to seal the area where Shivling was found inside during the court-mandated videography survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex. It stated that, at a time, only 20 Muslims should be allowed to enter the premises to offer Namaz. It also asked authorities to make sure that the Muslims are barred from performing Wuzukhana in the Gyanvapi premise’s pond, the place from where the Shivling has been discovered.
While accepting the application of the lawyer from the Hindu petitioners, the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar added the responsibility for the security and custodianship of the place, which will be sealed, will be considered personally by the Varanasi district magistrate and the CRPF commandant, Varanasi.
The court further stated that the UP director general of police (DGP) and the UP chief secretary (Administration) will be in charge of overseeing what efforts the authorities have taken to maintain the security of the site.
The court concluded that the survey inside the disputed Gyanvapi mosque located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath temple will continue and the report needs to be submitted by May 17. The court in Varanasi also added two advocates to the survey commission.
Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi mosque
On completion of the videography survey of Gyanvapi mosque on Monday (May 16), petitioner Sohan Lal Arya informed the media that a Shivling was found inside the complex of the disputed structure.
“Baba mil gaye…Jiski Nandi pratisha kar rahi this (The Shivling has been found. The sacred bull Nandi was waiting for it),” he exclaimed. “We already knew what was inside… but found more than what we had imagined,” the petitioner emphasised.
“It is a very big day for us. Chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ reverberated in the complex of the Gyanvapi mosque. The next step is to demand a survey of the Western Wall of the mosque. There are inscriptions of Hindu Gods and Goddesses there.”
“The survey is complete and we have come out of the Gynavapi mosque complex,” he concluded. It must be mentioned that petitioner Sohan Lal Arya had accompanied the Court commission on the mosque survey in Varanasi.
Gyanvapi mosque dispute and survey
The Gyanvapi Mosque complex is a disputed structure allegedly built over the ruins of the desecrated old Kashi Vishwanath Temple by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after it was desecrated multiple times by Islamic rulers, such as Qutb al-Din Aibak and others who followed him.
To this day, parts of this ancient temple are clearly visible on the outer walls of the mosque, especially the western wall which has been kept intact. Moreover, there is enough historical evidence of the demolition of the temple, the building of the mosque, and the rebuilding of the temple at the current adjacent site.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex, which is adjacent to the disputed mosque complex and where devotees can do puja and prayers, was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780.
A Varanasi court on May 12 allowed a videography survey of the disputed structure. Varanasi’s Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar issued guidelines for the same and added that a report of the survey must be submitted by May 17.
A 54-member team, led by advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, surveyed the Gyanvapi complex basement and the western wall on Saturday (May 14). According to the reports, the survey team opened eight vaults of the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque.
