Hanuman Idol to Wazukhana Survey :Everything that happened after the ASI report on Gyanvapi Mosque was released.
The results of an archaeological survey conducted on the grounds of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) verified the existence of a temple prior to the mosque’s construction.
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The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee was requested by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to take into consideration the new assessment and “make an offer to respectfully” move the Gyanvapi mosque to “another appropriate place” and “handover” the site to the Hindu community after the survey report from ASI was released.
Alok Kumar, the International Working President of the VHP, stated that the organization has two requirements when a temple’s existence is verified. The first purpose is to perform “Sewa Puja” for the Shivling located in Wazukhana, and the second is to give the Hindu community ownership of the original location.
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ASI FIND 55 STONE SCULPTURES: 15 “SHIVLING,” 5 “HANUMAN”
Up to fifty-five stone statues were discovered inside the Gyanvapi mosque during the ASI’s scientific assessment. Included in this were fifteen “Shivling,” three sculptures of Lord “Vishnu,” three sculptures of Lord “Ganesh,” two Nandi, two Krishna, and five sculptures of
“Hanuman.”Â
The temple ” appears to have been destroyed in the 17th century, during the reign of Aurangzeb and part of it… modified and reused in the existing structure,” according to the ASI evaluation. Moreover, it was claimed that ASI had discovered seven “miscellaneous stone sculptures,” fourteen “fragments,” one “Votive Shrine,” one “Dwarpala,” one “Apasmara Purusha,” and one “Makara” stone sculpture.
According to the survey study, there were twenty-three terracotta figures—two depicting gods and goddesses, eighteen featuring human constructions, and three featuring animals.
The Hanuman sculpture’s description stated that it was constructed of marble. According to the assessment, “The existing portion represents the lower portion of a sculpture of Hanuman.” The left leg is placed on a rock with the knee bent. The right leg is positioned firmly on the earth. Regarding the Ganesha sculpture, the report stated that it depicts the “crowned head of Ganesha,” with the eyes visible and the trunk turned to the right. The building of Lord Ganesha was classified as “late medieval.”
Two glass items, a pendant and a broken Shivling, were also discovered during the survey, the report stated.
HINDU SIDE DEMANDS A WAZUKHANA SURVEY
The legal representative for the Hindu side is getting ready to petition the Supreme Court for a second survey by the ASI, limited to the area under the “central dome” and “wazukhana.”
“As ASI’s survey has confirmed that the existing structure at Gyanvapi is standing atop a Hindu temple, we will now move a plea before SC on Monday to seek a comprehensive survey of the wazukhana,” said advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain on Saturday, according to the Times of India.
VHP REQUESTS A “HANDOVER” OF THE ORIGINAL Site
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) declared that there is no longer any question over the existence of a temple in response to the ASI assessment report of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
According to International Working President Alok Kumar of the organization, VHP made two demands in this respect. These are the following:
• The Court should now permit the offering of “Sewa Puja” to the Shivling located inside the wazukhana.
• Pressuring the Intezamia Committee to take into account the updated assessment, “respectfully” move the mosque to a more suitable location, and “handover” the property to the Hindu community.
The ASI assessment additionally demonstrates that portions of the pre-existing temple, including as pillars and pilasters, were repurposed and modified in order to increase the mosque’s span and build the “sahan.” According to him, the presence
of the names “Janardana,” “Rudra,” and “Umeswara” in the structure’s inscriptions is “tell-tale evidence” that it is a temple.