Call for Scientific Survey of Gyanvapi Mosque Premises in Varanasi

Days after the Allahabad High Court ordered a “scientific investigation” of the “shivling” found at the premises, an application was submitted to the Varanasi district court on Tuesday, requesting a survey of the entire mosque premises by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The district court accepted the application and called for objections before May 19, scheduling further hearings for May 22.

The intervening application was filed in the court of District Judge Dr Ajaya Krishna Vishvesha on behalf of five women who had previously filed a petition seeking permission to pray at “a Shringar Gauri Sthal” inside the complex. This was in response to a petition that led to a Civil Judge (Senior Division), Varanasi, ordering a videographic inspection. During the inspection last year, a structure claimed to be a “Shivling” by the Hindu side and a “fountain” by the Muslim side was found on the mosque premises.

Special Counsel Rajesh Mishra, representing the State in the case, stated that an application was moved by the five petitioners, requesting a scientific survey of the entire Gyanvapi mosque complex.

“The High Court has recently ordered a scientific investigation of the ‘shivling’ and the site where it was found. This new application requests a survey of the entire land number 9130, which is the area barricaded as the Gyanvapi mosque. They have not sought a survey of the temple, but of the mosque premises,” said Mishra.

“The petitioners have also stressed the dome found under the mosque’s dome during the previous survey. There are three domes of the mosque, and another was found underneath them. The petitioners claim it is the dome of the temple that existed there. They also want an investigation of the staircase using different scientific methods,” Mishra added.

On May 12, the Allahabad High Court directed the ASI to appear before the Varanasi District Judge on May 22 to carry out the “scientific investigation” of the “shivling” at the Gyanvapi mosque premises in Varanasi.

The court had carefully reviewed the original 52-page report submitted by the Superintending Archaeologist, ASI, Sarnath Circle, Varanasi in April before passing the order.