Shankaracharya Demands Permission To Worship At Gyanvapi

The Shankaracharya came to Bemetara to see the construction of 1.25 lakh Shiva temples which he described as unique in the world.

Bemetara: Uttarakhand Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati called Gyanvapi a pilgrimage and when the vandals invaded India, they converted the site and the time had come for the site to be returned to its glory after 75 years of Independence.

"Gyanvapi is our pilgrimage. It is described in the Puranas. God appeared there in the form of Swayambhu. He was worshipped there. There is a Vapi (tank) there. Whoever goes and takes a holy dip there and drinks that water, Lord Shiva preaches knowledge to him," he said.

"When invaders came and ruled our country, this beautiful place of pilgrimage was forcefully occupied. It is sad that now we have become independent and the invaders are no more. But even after Swaraj, we are being deprived of our pilgrimage. Our pilgrimage is our God and we are being prevented from worshipping, this is a matter of great sadness. Permission should be granted immediately so that we worship the deity in the sacrosanct place," Avimukteshwaranand said.

Avimukteshwarananda had come to pay a visit to the 1.25 lakh Shiva temple being built in Sapad Lakheshwar Dham Saldha of Bemetara district. He described these temples as unique in the world and the construction would be over by Shivratri.

He said the practice of consecration had started in incomplete temples. It was fine for those who had only feelings and devotion and did not know the scriptures. But those with scriptural knowledge would never accept an incomplete temple.