Gyanvapi Dispute: ASI Survey Finds Hindu Temple Existed Before Mosque Was Built, Says Hindu Side

A Varanasi district court on Wednesday had ruled that the ASI survey report will be given to both the Hindu and Muslim sides.

New Delhi: A Hindu temple stood before the Gyanvapi mosque was built, the Archaeological survey report stated, the Hindu side said. “The ASI has said that there existed a large Hindu temple prior to the construction of the existing structure. This is the conclusive finding of the ASI,” advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, said on Thursday.

"The ASI said that the pillars and plasters used in the existing structure were studied systematically and scientifically for the enlargement of the mosque and constructing Sahan. Parts of preexisting temples, including pillars and plasters, were reused with little modifications. A minute study of pillars and plasters in corridors suggests that they were originally part of a pre-existing Hindu temple for their reuse in the existing structure, Vyala figures carved on either side of the lotus medallion were mutilated and after removing the stone mass from the corners, that space was decorated with floral design. This observed patient is supported by two similar plasters still existing on the north and southern walls of the western chamber in their original place," Jain said. 

This comes a day after a Varanasi district court pronounced its verdict to a petition seeking the survey report by Archeological Survey of India (ASI) on the Gyanvapi mosque complex adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath temple be made public. The court ruled the ASI survey report will be given to both the Hindu and Muslim sides, news agency PTI reported.  

The order was passed by District Judge A K Vishvesh.

The ASI survey was ordered by the district court after the petitioners claimed that the 17th-century mosque was constructed over a pre-existing temple.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side, on Wednesday told news agency ANI that "the court heard both sides and a consensus was reached that the hard copy of the ASI's report will be provided to both sides...The ASI objected to providing the report via email. So, both sides agreed to get the hard copy of the report."

On January 3, the ASI filed an application in the Varanasi district court urging the Judge to delay the release of its Gyanvapi Survey Report by four weeks.

In its application, the ASI asked for the court to hold on to the report in the 1991 suit pertaining to the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi Mosque dispute that is currently pending in the Allahabad High Court.

The Central agency submitted that if the survey report is unsealed and disclosed in public before the submission of the copy of the said survey report in the High Court, there are more chances of spread rumour and misrepresentation in public.

In July 2023, the Varanasi court directed the ASI to Conduct the scientific survey of the Gyanvyapi mosque premises. The ASI was also directed by the Allahabad HC to submit the report on the scientific investigation/ survey work.

 On December 12, following the orders, the ASI conducted the survey work and prepared a detailed report and submitted the same in the Court in sealed cover. The survey was conducted in the entire Gyanvapi mosque except for the "vajukhana" area for over 100 days.