The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has released a report confirming the existence of a Hindu temple beneath the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi. Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani Maharaj has appealed to the Muslim community to hand over the rights of the Hindus and set an example by acknowledging historical inaccuracies.
The ASI’s report asserts the existence of a substantial Sanatani Mandir predating the construction of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi. The findings are based on a detailed archaeological survey.
Representing the Hindu side, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain highlights the ASI report’s key points. He mentions the presence of carvings depicting Hindu deities, inscriptions in Telugu and Kannada, and broken murtis, asserting that the temple was destroyed to build the mosque.Jain stressed that the ASI report is the result of a scientific study, and all discovered objects were meticulously documented. The report indicates the reuse of pillars from the pre-existing temple in the construction of the mosque.
The ASI report outlines the existence of a central chamber and additional chambers to the north, south-east, and west in the pre-existing Hindu temple. The reuse of pillars and pilasters, as well as the mutilation of vyala figures during reconstruction, is highlighted.
Dr Subhash C Gupta, a senior legal consultant for ASI, emphasises the significance of these reports, stating that they are submitted after extensive scientific studies and are crucial pieces of evidence in legal matters.Symbols such as Parthi Rath, along with flowers used in Hindu prayers, have been discovered during the scientific study, reinforcing the pre-existing Hindu nature of the structure.
While it is at the judge’s discretion to admit such reports, their scientific basis and detailed findings make them highly reliable pieces of evidence in legal proceedings. The findings are expected to play a crucial role in the legal proceedings surrounding the site.
