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NATION FEBRUARY 09, 2024 | The Indian Eye 8
Varanasi temple: Hindus perform puja in the
cellar of Gyanvapi Mosque after court order
The developments come at a time when the Muslim side, led by the Anjum Intejamia committee,
approached the Allahabad High Court to challenge the decision
OUR BUREAU
Varanasi/New Delhi/Lucknow
n a dramatic development on
Thursday, after the Varanasi
ICourt allowed Hindus to worship
inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex,
devotees flocked to the ‘Vyas ka Teh-
khana’ inside the complex in Varanasi
to offer prayers. A Varanasi Court on
Wednesday allowed Hindu devotees
to offer prayers inside the ‘Vyas Ka
Tehkhana’ area inside the Gyanvapi
mosque complex.
After the Varanasi Court allowed
the Hindu devotees to worship in-
side the Gyanvapi mosque complex,
the barricades of Vyas Ka Tehkha-
na (basement) of the mosque were
opened, and daily arti and puja were
performed early in the morning on
Thursday.
The mosque has four ‘tahkhanas’
(cellars) in the basement, of which A priest offers prayers at ‘Vyas Ji Ki Tehkhana’ after the Varanasi Court’s judgement to allow Hindu devotees to worship inside the sealed base-
one is still in the possession of the
Vyas family, who used to live there. ment of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, in Varanasi on Thursday (ANI)
According to Vishnu Shankar Jain,
the Hindu side lawyer, Mangla Arti ministration to make the necessary ar- at the Gyanvapi mosque complex, complex, following the Archaeolog-
was performed at 3:30 in the morning rangements within the next seven days. Kashi Vishwanath Trust President Na- ical Survey of India’s survey findings
and bhog was done at 12 p.m. “Tim- Meanwhile, Jitendra Nath Vyas gendra Pandey on Wednesday said that at the mosque. The ‘Wazukhana’ was
ings for Aarti at Vyas cellar. Daily 5 a member of the Vyas family who has today’s decision raises hopes that one sealed in 2022 following a Supreme
aarti --Mangla- 3:30 am, Bhog- 12 been allowed to offer prayers inside day the entire complex will be Hindu. Court order.
pm, Apranh- 4 pm, Sanykaal- 7 pm, the mosque located adjacent to the In view of today’s decision given In its plea filed by Vishnu Shan-
Shayan- 10:30 pm. 2 done so far,” Jain Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi by the Varanasi district court, Pandey kar Jain, the Hindu side advocate has
said in a post on X. said he was very happy to pray at the distributed sweets among his family asked the top court to allow the Ar-
The court had asked the district Tehkhana again. “We are very happy members and congratulated every- chaeological Survey of India (ASI) to
administration to make the necessary that we have got the permission to re- one. “Today’s decision raises hopes carry out another comprehensive sur-
arrangements within the next seven sume puja there,” he said. that one day the entire complex will vey in the ‘wazukhana’ area without
days. The developments come at a time The Vyas family member said that be ours. After today’s court order, we harming the ‘Shivling’.
when the Muslim side, led by the An- he along with priests performed puja will talk to the district administration The survey of the Gyanvapi
jum Intejamia committee, approached in the basement in the presence of dis- tomorrow,” Pandey said. mosque premises began after the Al-
the Allahabad High Court to chal- trict officials. “At the time of the puja, He said that earlier, prayers were lahabad High Court rejected the peti-
lenge the Varanasi Court’s decision. five priests of the (Kashi Vishwanath) offered at the ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’ area tion filed by Muslim litigants seeking a
The Hindu side has filed a caveat be- temple trust, members of the Vyas inside the Gyanvapi mosque com- stay on the Varanasi court’s order for
fore the High Court, demanding that family, Varanasi DM and Commis- plex. “Earlier prayers were offered a scientific survey by the ASI.
it be heard before the plea is taken up. sioner were present there,” he said. at the ‘Vyas Ka Tekhana’ area. There ASI, during the survey, started on
Muslim side lawyer Akhlaq The developments come at a time are enough priests in the Vishwanath August 4, used ground-penetrating ra-
Ahmed said, “The order has over- when the Muslim side led by the An- temple; among them, any five will be dar and other scientific instruments to
looked the Advocate Commissioner jum Intejamia committee approached assigned to offer puja in the Gyanvapi ascertain what lay beneath the surface
report of 2022, ASI’s report, and the the Allahabad High Court to chal- mosque complex. They will perform of the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
decision of 1937, which was in our fa- lenge the Varanasi Court’s decision. ‘aarti’ and offer ‘bhog prasad’,” Pan- The team also surveyed the inner
vor. The Hindu side has not provided The Hindu side has filed a caveat be- dey said. and outer walls, the cellar and oth-
any evidence that prayers were held fore the High court demanding that it Meanwhile, the Hindu side on er parts of the premises barring the
before 1993. There is no such idol in be heard before the plea is taken up. Monday filed an application in the Su- ‘wazukhana’ (the place where Mus-
the place.” After the Varanasi district court preme Court seeking the de-sealing of lims perform ablution before pro-
The court had asked the district ad- allowed the Hindu side to offer prayers the ‘wazukhana’ area in the Gyanvapi ceeding to offer prayers).
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