Varanasi: With the Archaeological Survey of India claiming the Gyanvapi mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi to be present at the site of a Hindu temple and the court allowing puja inside the basement of the mosque, Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side has said that the ASI report has “pointed to the presence of temple visible given the evidence on the western wall” of the mosque.
Jain, while addressing a presser said that the Archaeological Survey of India has surveyed the Western Wall by dividing it into two parts, North-Western and South-Western parts. “The survey found three platforms in the western wall area. There is a wall buried in them. The western chamber is the central part of the western wall, while it is also the main entrance to the central chamber. The object's characteristics alone make it clear that this structure is established as a gateway, which was closed at the time of construction,” he said.
“In the report, a lot of evidence of Hindu temple has been found on the walls around this entry gate including various types of flowers along with lotus and depending on the natural structure, bell, chain, trident, swastika and other types of things, which are clearly evident on this entire structure,” he added. Jain said that the ASI report “shows a sitting animal in which the shape of a lion is visible”.
“That is also clearly present at the bottom of this wall. Many pictures of the surrounding areas are visible at the bow-shaped entrance. Flower buds, lotus petals in the ceiling are evident on the domed ceiling,” he said adding “this wall has been mentioned the most in the report of the Archaeological Survey of India”. “It has also been clarified that the figures present here were made on pillars. The design makes it clear that these are the remains of an ancient temple on which an entire mosque has been erected,” he said.
“Looking at it with the naked eye, anyone can say that there is much evidence of the temple on this wall at the back of the mosque,” he added.
