Gyanvapi Mosque Case: Varanasi Court To Deliver Verdict On Carbon Dating Of ‘Shivling’ Today

In May, the Hindu petitioners had claimed that they have found a ‘Shivling’ inside the mosque complex close to ‘wazoo khana’ during a court-mandated videography survey of the premises.

Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashvi Vishwanath Temple complex

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The Varanasi district court will today deliver its judgment on the matter relating to demand for scientific investigation including carbon dating of the alleged Shivling that has been claimed to be found inside the mosque complex. The arguments over carbon dating and scientific investigation of the purported Shivling were competed in the Court during last hearing on Tuesday after which the Court had reserved its order till today. 

In May, the Hindu petitioners had claimed that they have found a ‘Shivling’ inside the mosque complex close to ‘wazoo khana’ — a small reservoir used by Muslims to perform ritual ablution before offering namaz — during a court-mandated videography survey of the mosque’s premises

District government advocate Mahendra Pratap Pandey said that on October 7, the Hindu side had submitted its explanation regarding the carbon dating and scientific examination of the alleged Shivling. 

In response to the Hindu side, Advocate Mumtaz Ahmed, appearing for the Muslim petitioners, said that they have told the court that carbon dating of the figure found in the premises cannot be done. 

"Secondly, the Hindu side is talking of sabotage, which can destroy the figure, whereas the Supreme Court has ordered to preserve it. If the figure is vandalised in the name of carbon dating, then it will be in defiance of the order of the Supreme Court,” the Muslim side said. 

During the videography of the mosque premises, the Hindu side said that it found a long stone with a round top and claimed it to be “shivling”  while the Masjid Intezamia Committee said that it is not a Shivling but a part of a fountain.

The Muslim side argued that there are many other such mosques and other buildings built during the Mughal period, which have similar fountains in the ‘wazookhana’. However, the Hindu side had sought the district court to conduct a carbon dating test of the alleged Shivling to ascertain the age of the stone.