(This story was originally published on 24 June 2022. It is being republished after a Varanasi's district court's order on the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri case on 12 September.)
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In India’s cultural capital, Varanasi, a ‘cultural shift’ is on the rise. The Gyanvapi mosque stands adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple with an underlying contentious claim that the temple was destroyed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1669 and a mosque was built using the remains of the temple.
Books Mention Demolition of Temple
Prof Rajiv Srivastava, who taught at the Department of History at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), says that the Muslim community is trying to hide the crime and misdeeds of Aurangzeb.
“The author of the book Masir-i-Alamgiri, belonged to Aurangzeb’s court, and he mentions that Aurangzeb was proud of demolishing temples,” Srivastava says.
He adds that in another book titled Aurangzeb, there is a mention of the Kashi Vishwanath temple which was demolished and the presence of the 'Nandi idol' constructed around the ‘Shivling’.
While Prof Srivastava rubbishes claims of the presence of a fountain or a drainage system, SM Yaseen, Joint Secretary of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee says that every old masjid has a fountain which cleans and cools the water.
If given a chance, he says, he is ready to turn it on and prove it.
‘Gyanvapi Movement Laid after Ayodhya demolition’
The petitioners for the temple say that the foundation of the Gyanvapi movement was laid after the demolition of Babri masjid.
"Just like Ayodhya, we always wanted to start a movement in Kashi. We spoke with many people around the Gyanvapi premises and, a 90-year-old priest told us about the temple."Sohan Lal Arya, Petitioner
Prof Rana PB Singh, who taught at the Department of Geography at the BHU and retired as its chairman, says that the government should present facts before people, not stories.
“Several surveys have been conducted of the Gyanvapi site but there are no results from the intellectual groups. Many have not even visited the site on the ground," Prof Singh says.
Whatever is happening here at present, it is happening just to please 'two people,' he adds.
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