Shivling was found in ‘wazookhana’: Claim in court

Varanasi, May 16 (UNI) Counsel from the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque complex videography case has claimed that the Shivling has been found where the people do ‘wazoo’ (washing hands and feet) before offering Namaz.
After the hearing, Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi, the counsel of Hindu side, said that the Shivling was found in the base of the pool, which was used for wazoo, after the water in it was drained during videography-survey on Monday.
Terming it to be an important documentation an application was filed immediately in the court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar and it was requested that the mosque complex should be sealed and use of ‘wazookhana’ should not be allowed.
It was also requested that only 20 people should be allowed to offer namaz.
The counsel claimed that admitting the application the court has directed the District Magistrate to seal the area where the Shivling was found. It has also directed the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to seal the premises and protect it.
The videographic survey of the mosque complex has been been underway in two phases on the orders of the court. In the first phase, videography was done on MaFy 6 and May 7. While on May 6 videography work was completed peacefully, it could not conclude on May 7 due to protest by the Muslim side.
Both the parties reached the court and were directed to re-conduct the videography.
The survey work which started on May 14 got completed in three days on Monday. Shivling was found on the last day of the survey. During videography what was found in the basement was supposed to be made public only after the report was submitted in the court.
The Advocate Commissioners will submit their report in the court on Tuesday.
The mosque is next to the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple. A group of women petitioned the local court for permission to worship daily, before the idols on the mosque’s exterior walls. Rakhi Singh and four others filed the application in the court seeking direction to offer prayers at the Shringar Gauri Stahl and other places on a regular basis.
The Hindus were earlier allowed to offer prayers at the particular wall during Chaitra Navratri inside the premises of the functional mosque.
According to attorney Madan Mohan Yadav, the survey team discovered a Shivling near the ‘wazookhana’ (a space inside a mosque where people wash their hands before delivering namaaz).”
Yadav and senior counsel Harishankar Jain filed the suit in the court of Civil Judge Diwakar to secure the Shivling on Monday.
The Gyanvapi Shrine is part of the 4th-5th century construction patroned by Chandragupta II, popular as Vikramaditya. He had commissioned the Kashi Vishwanath Temple during the Gupta period.
Famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang described the temple and Varanasi in his works of 635AD.
Between 1194-1197, the temple faced large scale destruction after an invasion by Muhammad Ghori that had set off a series of demolitions and rebuildings throughout history.
As per various historical texts, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1669 is said to have ordered the demolition of the temple and the Gyanvapi mosque was built.
Almost a century later between 1776-78, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore restored the temple near to the Gyanvapi mosque.
Litigations started in 1936, and have continued on and off.