ASI (ASI )team reached Varanasi

Varanasi. The team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI ) has reached Varanasi late on Sunday evening. According to the information received, this team will start the survey of Gyanvapi Masjid complex from 7 am on Monday. In this, scientific survey will be done of the rest of the premises except the Wajukhana of the mosque.

Accepting the demand of the Hindu side in the Maa Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi Masjid case located near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, a court in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, on Friday, had given permission to conduct an archaeological and scientific survey of the entire Gyanvapi complex except the Vajukhana.

For this, the ASI team reached Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday and also met the Varanasi commissioner. All the advocates of the Hindu side have also reached the residence of the police commissioner, where their meeting continued till late night. Hindu side’s lawyer Subhash Nandan told that the work of scientific survey of Gyanvapi Masjid can start on the third Monday of Sawan.

DM of Varanasi said – making necessary preparations
In this regard, Varanasi DM S Rajalingam said, ‘We have received information from the ASI that the survey will start from tomorrow…we have not been told about the time yet…we are making all necessary preparations in terms of security.’
The ASI has been asked to file a report in the Varanasi court on August 4, 2023, after conducting its survey. The next hearing of the case in the court is also to be held on the same date. The court had given its verdict on a petition seeking a scientific survey, including carbon dating, to determine the age of the ‘Shivling’ allegedly found at the Gyanvapi mosque.

On June 21, the court of AK Vishwesh upheld a petition by a group of Hindu parties demanding a scientific survey to ascertain whether the mosque was built on the site of a Hindu temple. However, the barricaded ‘Vazukhana’, where the ‘Shivling’ was claimed by the Hindu parties, will not be included in the survey.

Significantly, in August 2021, five women had filed a petition in the local court demanding the right of regular worship at Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal located inside the mosque premises. In April 2022, the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered a survey of the Gyanvapi Masjid complex. The survey was finally completed in May 2022 amid protests from the Muslim side. Meanwhile, the Hindu side claimed to have found a ‘Shivling’ in the pond meant for ablution inside the mosque premises, while the Muslim side called it a fountain.