By Omar Rashid
New Delhi: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in its survey report of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi has claimed that a “large Hindu temple” existed there prior to the construction of the existing structure (the mosque) and that parts of the temple were used in the construction of the Islamic place of worship.
The ASI carried out a court-approved scientific survey of the 17th-century mosque adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to determine if it was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a temple, as claimed by Hindu petitioners who have sought year-round access for darshan and pooja of Maa Shringar Gauri in the Gyanvapi Masjid compound. The Varanasi court had on January 24 allowed the findings of the ASI report to be made available to all parties.
While the full 839-page report is not yet accessible, some operative parts of the ASI report said it had concluded that “it can be said that there existed a large Hindu temple, prior to the construction of the existing structure”. The ASI said it drew the conclusion on the basis of scientific survey, study of architectural remains, exposed features and artefacts, inscriptions, art and sculptures.
The ASI based its findings on the observations and scientific study of the “central chamber and main entrance of the pre-existing structure in existing structure”. It claimed that there was “reuse of pillars and pilasters of pre-existing structure in existing structure” and that the “central chamber of the pre-existing structure forms the central hall of the existing structure”.
The western wall of the existing structure, the mosque, was the “remaining part of a pre-existing Hindu temple”, the ASI said.
“This wall, made of stones and decorated with horizontal mouldings, is formed by remaining parts of western chamber, western projections of the central chamber and western walls of the two chambers on its north and south. Central chamber attached to the wall still exists unchanged whereas modifications have been made to both the side chambers,” the report said.
The ASI also claimed that the pillars and pilasters used in the existing mosque were “reused with little modifications” for the enlargement of the mosque and constructing the sahan (courtyard).
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here .