Varanasi: The ASI survey of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Uttar Pradesh entered the sixth day on Tuesday. The team of ASI is conducting the archaeological survey of the Gyanvapi complex on the orders of the Allahabad High Court to check whether the mosque had been built on the remnants of a temple as claimed by the Hindu side.
In the survey conducted on Monday, the team focused on the main dome as well as the basement and the western wall of the mosque. The team members are expected to survey the domes of the mosque today as well. On Monday, the survey began late due to the 5th Monday of the Shravan month. According to sources associated with the exercise, the survey was scheduled to begin at 8 am on Monday.
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However, due to the overcrowding in and around the mosque area, the survey began at 11:30 am and ended at 4:30 pm. Using the GPR technique, the team besides examining the domes and walls of the mosque is also working to measure the depth of the structure of the entire campus and check its foundation.
The Muslim side has expressed its displeasure over the statements being made by the litigant women and lawyers. The Muslim side also threatened to boycott the survey over the rumours about certain “findings” inside the mosque during the survey. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain representing the Hindu side said that it was not appropriate to comment on the survery proceedings on a daily basis.
So far, ASI has done 100 meter aerial view photography and videography work, apart from the figures and markings on the western walls in the campus, sampling of artifacts made inside. Apart from dial test indicator, depth micrometer and combination sand vernier wave protector, GNSS machine is being used in the ongoing survey.
