On 13th May 2023, at around 9:15 pm, a mob of Muslims barged into the Trimbakeshwar temple at Nashik in Maharashtra. Trimbakeshwar is one of the twelve holy jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Only Hindus are supposed to enter the temple and pray to the deity with Hindu customs.
But the Muslims who tried to enter the courtyard of the temple attempted this as they allegedly intended to forcefully put a Chadar on the Shivling inside the sanctum sanctorum. Amid this controversy, it becomes necessary to know the history of the demolition of this temple, the conversion of the temple into a mosque, and reclaiming of the holy site by Hindus again.
Muslims forcibly entered Trimbakeshwar
As the local Muslims attempted to enter the temple, the temple management committee lodged a complaint with the police after security guards stopped them from reaching the sanctorum. Videos of the incident went viral on various social media platforms. Aqeel Yusuf Sayyed, Salman Aqeel Sayyed, Matin Raju Sayyed and Salim Bakshu Sayyed were arrested by the police for forcibly entering the Trimbakeshwar temple. A case was registered against them under sections 295 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Apart from this, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the formation of the SIT.
It is alleged that they tried to enter the temple premises by joining the Sandal procession and attempted to offer chadar on the Shivling. Matin Sayyed, the organiser of the sandal, claimed that the accused did not try to put the chadar on the Shivling and they only carried the chadar to the steps of the temple.
Muslims blamed Hindus for disturbing the communal harmony of a syncretic culture
Avez Kokni, the former president of the Trimbakeshwar Nagar Parishad said, “There was no attempt to enter the temple or put any chadar inside the temple premises. Muslims in Trimbakeshwar have for generations been following the practice of sending the fumes of frankincense from the steps of the temple premises during an annual gathering at a nearby dargah. This practice has been going on for decades and the local Hindu community has never taken exception to it. We are surprised that this issue has now been raked up and it has taken a communal turn.” How long before Hindus realize if their deities really need the fumes of some frankincense?
Parvez Kokni, former chairman of the Nashik District Central Cooperative Bank and a resident of Trimbakeshwar said, “It is an age-old practice and a symbol of syncretism. This ritual has been taking place for ages. Muslims make up a very small percentage of the city’s population and have stayed in harmony. Our city has been peaceful and non-communal which would explain why in spite of being a Muslim, I was accepted as a leader. I am surprised why this age-old custom is now suddenly being questioned.” Will this flag-bearer of syncretic culture advocate for the Hanuman Chalisa recital in any local dargah or mosque let alone some big Jama Mosque? Sanjay Raut also termed the incident that took place in Trimbakeshwar to be correct.
Why such practices must be stopped?
As far as rituals are concerned, there is no noted tradition of taking any Chadar to any major temple of a Hindu deity – like a Jyotirling that holds separate importance among all temples. No verse of any Purana or Shastra advocates it, because Sanatan Dharma predates Islam by infinite time. Further, there is no provision for allowing a non-Hindu to enter a temple and perform rituals of his non-Hindu religion inside the premises. If any such practice exists in any Hindu temple, it deserves discontinuation with immediate effect.
Trimbakeshwar Shiva temple in Nashik is one of the 12 Jyotirlings. Aurangzeb's forces vandalized this ancient shrine and build a masjid in 1690. Balaji Bajirao Bhat, the 8th Maratha Peshwa, restored the shrine and pulled down the masjid in 1754. An account https://t.co/r0MTqpDBXk
— Manoshi Sinha (@authormanoshi) November 29, 2020
There are many people who want Hinduism to be inclusive and not equally exclusive as some Abrahamic faith. But, even if there can be some local practices in many temples here and there across India, there must be some seclusion for a site as special as a Jyotirlinga.
Do you know ? Trimbakeshwar Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in Nashik, was demolished by Aurangzeb in 1680 AD and built a mosque there to make Nasik's name Gulchnabad.
— Śrīrām 🇮🇳 (@Vadicwarrior) September 16, 2022
#Thread pic.twitter.com/T0eR1eYzYl
Competent Dharmik authorities of Hindus need to take decisive action to amend these things wherever needed because Muslims in Nashik are citing a ‘syncretic’ culture behind this incident and indirectly accusing Hindus and temple authorities of spreading religious disharmony and hatred. They comfortably ignore, in fact, hide the fact that this harmony business is one-sided and no Maha Aarti, Yagya, Havan, or Puja is allowed inside any Muslim place of worship in order to strengthen the bond of mutual love and respect between the two communities.
Bramhagiri, 28 Km from Nashik City in Maharashtra. This ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and highly venerated and sacred pilgrimage site shrines in Bharat.
— Śrīrām 🇮🇳 (@Vadicwarrior) September 16, 2022
Mutual love and respect have been put as a burden on the shoulders of the Hindus where they are expected to allow non-Hindus to enter the temples to put Chadars on deities. What kind of respect a Hindu deity may get when Muslims forcibly enter a temple is seen in the case of Kashi Vishwanath Temple where a Shivling is found in the Wazukhana of the so-called mosque in the Gyanvapi complex where Muslims washed their hands and feet, washed their mouths and spit for centuries on a Shivling. Subscribers of the same faith, in Trimbakeshwar are now claiming that the temple authorities are hampering communal harmony.
Aurangzeb destroyed the original 1000 years old Trimbakeshwar temple, built a Masjid over it & renamed Nasik as Gulshanabad. Marathas recaptured Nashik in 1751 pulled down the Masjid & rebuilt Trimbakeshwar.
— Śrīrām 🇮🇳 (@Vadicwarrior) September 16, 2022
हर हर महादेव ।।
Pic credit☺️ :- @sanatansanskrutivigyan
Trimbakeshwar was reclaimed with valour by Marathas
In 1689, Aurangzeb killed Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. After the death of the Hindu king, Aurangzeb unleashed more severe atrocities on Hindus adding to the already existing tyranny of the Mughals. He ordered the desecration of more temples in Maharashtra in 1690, with the intent of crushing the religious motivations of the Maratha empire. By building mosques over the demolished temples, he wanted to lower the morale of skilled and inspired Maratha warriors who were fighting to protect the Hindu kingdom under an inexperienced young Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj at that time.
In many places in his book ‘History of Aurangzeb’, Jadunath Sarkar has quoted ‘Varshik Itibritta’ (meaning ‘annual newsletters’) written by Kashinath Sane. He quotes, “Circa 1690. Instances of Aurangzeb’s temple destruction at Ellora, Trimbakeshwar, Narsinghpur (foiled by snakes, scorpions, and other poisonous insects), Pandharpur, Jejuri (foiled by the deity!), and Yavat (Bhuleshwar) are given by K. N Sane in Varshik Itibritta page number 133-135”. It must be noted that if the figurative use of the language is to be ignored, the attack was not foiled but the fact remains that the temple in Trimbakeshwar was converted into a mosque. Kumbh Nagari Nashik – formerly known as Janasthan – was renamed Gulshanabad. The temple destroyed by Aurangzeb was more than 1000 years old.
In the book ‘New History of Marathas – Volume II’ GS Sardesai writes, “In November 1754, the shrine of Trimbakeshwar was restored by the Peshwa, and the Masjid was pulled down.” Other records show that the temple construction lasted for three years – that is from 1751 to 1754. This literally means that in the reign of Chhatrapati Ramraja, Marathas under the leadership of Balaji Bajirao Bhat alias Nanasaheb Peshwa performed the Karseva and rebuilt the Trimbakeshwar temple in the basalt stone as it is seen today.
The linga established inside the sanctum sanctorum of Trimbakeshwar is in the form of a three-faced embodying three deities, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. It is located at the foothill of Mount Brahmagiri 28 kilometres from Nashik city. The temple is built in the Hemad Panthi style. The style is named after the 13th-century minister of the Yadava dynasty – Hemadri Pandit as he iconized that style.
Conclusion
The Trimbakeshwar temple was not built just like that. Marathas could reclaim the holy site because they ruled the state power. To achieve this power, countless Hindu soldiers gave their lives for four consecutive generations. This feat was achieved through the assertion of military power by the warriors and financial powers by the Maratha administrators who collected taxes from most parts of India right since 1715.
It really took a lot to protect the lands, restore the deities in the temples, and reestablish Dharma. It is high time Hindus must rethink if their deities like Trimbakeshwar really need any of the fumes of some frankincense from some Islamic place of worship given the fact that the very temple was once destroyed by a subscriber of the same faith in the past to assert his faith and tyranny over the Hindus.
