The News Freedom
Varanasi, January 25
In a groundbreaking revelation, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has released a scientific survey report on the Gyanvapi mosque, asserting the existence of a Hindu temple at the site before the mosque’s construction.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted a comprehensive report, concluding that a Hindu temple existed before the construction of the current Gyanvapi mosque. This finding, based on scientific studies and a detailed survey, was welcomed by the Hindu side’s representative, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain.
Jain elaborated on the report’s key points, highlighting the discovery of buried Hindu sculptures and carved architectural elements beneath the mosque. According to him, the existing western wall of the mosque exhibits characteristics of a Hindu temple, including decorated moldings, a grand entrance gate, and intricate carvings of birds and animals, as per media reports.
“An Arabic-Persian inscription discovered within a room indicated the mosque’s construction during Aurangzeb’s reign, suggesting the destruction of the pre-existing temple in the 17th century,” he said. Jain emphasized the comprehensive nature of the ASI report, encompassing studies of architectural remains, exposed features, artifacts, inscriptions, art, and sculptures. “A report of a total of 839 pages has been filed by ASI,” he added.
“The ASI has said that during the survey, a number of inscriptions were noticed on the existing and preexisting structure. A total of 34 inscriptions were recorded during the present survey and 32 stamped pages were taken. These are in fact inscriptions on the stone of a preexisting Hindu temple which have been reused during the construction, repair of the existing structure. They include inscriptions in the Devanagari, Grantha, Telugu and Kannada scripts. The reuse of earlier inscriptions in the structure suggests that the earlier structures were destroyed and their parts were reused in the construction repair of the existing structure. Three names of deities such as Janardana, Rudra and Umeshwara are found in these inscriptions,” he said.
Further corroborating the Hindu side’s claims, advocate Sudhir Tripathi noted the report’s specific references to pillars and the western wall, as well as the unearthed sculptures and carvings. The thoroughness of the ASI report presented a clear picture of the site’s history, bolstering the Hindu side’s argument for a pre-existing temple.
With the release of the ASI report, the Gyanvapi dispute entered a new stage, the findings undoubtedly hold significant weight in determining the past and future of this contentious religious site.
In 2022, the ‘wazukhana’ region was sealed by a Supreme Court order following the discovery of what was purported to be a ‘Shivling.’ On May 16, 2022, as part of a court-mandated survey of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, a structure was uncovered within the mosque premises. The Hindu claim identified it as a “Shivling,” while the Muslim perspective described it as a “fountain.” This area, known as the ‘Wazu’ section of the Gyanvapi mosque, lies at the heart of the dispute between Hindu and Muslim parties in the Gyanvapi mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple case. The Hindu parties assert the presence of a ‘Shivling’ at the site, while the Muslim side contests this, asserting that it is merely a water fountain.
